Global Traveler: Tell us about your career at Asiana Airlines.
Jooan Kang: I began working at Asiana Airlines in the summer of 1988, which was a meaningful year as South Korea was hosting the 1988 Olympics. That was the year Asiana opened for business, making me one of the original employees. You could say that I have grown up with Asiana. During my early years at the company, I was stationed at Busan Regional Sales Office as the general manager in charge of daily operational issues. After three years in Busan, I was transferred to the position of general manager of marketing and passenger sales department in our Seoul headquarters. I reached a turning point in my career in 1992 when I was appointed general manager of our New York regional office. While there, I was able to experience the real environment and atmosphere of the international airline industry. After four and a half years in that position, I was again summoned to our headquarters in Seoul where I took on the role of senior vice president of bilateral, international, legal affairs and marketing planning. I subsequently returned to the United States in 2000, this time as the senior vice president of the Americas. I have been fortunate to experience several different fields in the industry. In December of last year, I was greatly honored to be named president and chief operating officer of Asiana Airlines.

GT: Asiana recently introduced a new Premium Business Class product. Describe the Premium Business Class experience.
JK: Passengers of Asiana will be able to better feel the true quality of service in our business-class seats onboard our new B777-200 and A330-300. Our new business-class cocoon seats have an increased leg space of 60 inches, a seat recline of 167 degrees, individual partitions which preserve individual comfort, audio visual on demand and Internet service outlets. We have also installed “Biz Talk Bars” in our new B777s and A330s. The Biz Talk Bar provides an open bar service for people to talk inside the aircraft while airborne. The new business-class seats will be implemented on our existing B747-4000s and B777-300s beginning this year.

Privileges onboard include our fine choice of Asian and Western cuisines and top-class wine. Passengers on the Korea-U.S. route can experience Korean cuisines such as bimbimbap, a dish made from vegetables and meat mixed with hot pepper sauce served with five side dishes. It is the same cuisine the royal Chosun dynasty monarchs used to enjoy. Other services enjoyed by our business-class passengers are environmentally friendly UCC coffees, while everyone is entertained by our annual Asiana International Short Film festival, and onboard magic shows and fashion shows.

On the ground, business-class passengers can also receive unique and exclusive services. Our business-class lounge at Incheon International Airport and provides hot and cold meals, beverages, shower facilities, sleeping rooms, shoe polishers, digital lockers, business centers with Internet connections and an art and culture center.

GT: In North America the new business-class product currently flies from Incheon Airport to Seattle. What prompted the decision to implement the new service in this gateway first?
JK: If we decide to expand our network in North America, we see Seattle’s geographical location as a major Western gateway to the United States and Canada. Considering the increase in demand for this route we plan to add another weekly flight by the end of this year to our current roster of three weekly flights. We also plan to open service to Los Angeles and San Francisco with our new B777-200 and A330- 300 in the near future.

GT: What does the future hold for Asiana Airlines?
JK: Last February, our parent group, Kumho Asiana Group, celebrated its 60th anniversary. In celebration of that event, Asiana decided to take a new corporate identity. Named the “Wing,” it underscores the meaning that all of the Kumho Asiana Group companies will “soar into a bright future with our customers.” The intent is to unify our parent company, Kumho Industrial Co., Asiana and the passengers as one. We focused the development of the symbol on demonstrating the strong points of our parent group while creating an image that reinforces our commitment to the future.