Korean Air's A380s will have the least seats of all

Korean Air Airbus A380 artist's depiction

With Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qantas, Air France and Lufthansa all operating Airbus A380s (and despite the debacle of RR engines on the Qantas A380s), the next airline to start flying A380s in service will be Korean Air, which has ordered 10 of the type.   The aircraft will operate routes from Seoul to the US and Europe from August 2011, with some short haul training services in the interim.

Korean Air has worked hard in recent years to improve its reputation both for inflight service and safety, and it will be taking things further with its recent announcement that its A380s will have the lowest number of seats of any A380s in service to date - 400 to 450 seats.   What this should mean is more space, on average, for all passengers compared to others with A380s.  Qantas at present has the lowest seating density on A380s with 450 passengers in a four class configuration.  Korean Air will have a three class configuration, so it is better comparing with other A380 operators with similar configurations.   Of those Singapore Airlines has 471 passengers.   

Korean's on board product will include its latest first, business and economy class products as follows.  It has graphic displays of the first and business products on its website here.

Korean Air, Kosmo Suite First Class

First Class is the Kosmo Suite, a 79inch long, 26.5 inch wide seat that becomes a fully flat bed in a semi private suite with a 23in LCD monitor.  Easily a competitive product up there with the best, perhaps only surpassed by Singapore Airlines Suite Class on A380s.  Entertainment for all classes will include AVOD with 50 movies and 50 short documentaries.  There will be premium restrooms and complementary sleeping suits.   Food is apparently prepared by a dedicated chef.

Korean Air, Prestige Sleeper Seat

Business Class is the Prestige Sleeper Seat, a fully lie flat seat with some privacy dividers.  21.6 inches wide and 71 inch seat pitch puts this seat up among the best as well.  15.4 inch AVOD monitors, and catering also prepared by the first class chef.  Beyond that are the standards of business class service that are to be expected, which with Korean is typically high.

Even Korean's economy class is far from shoddy.  Industry leading 34 inch seat pitch, 10.6 inch IFE screens, and power at every seat.  That is fairly difficult to beat.

Korean might not have the very best first and business class products, but it is likely to have the best on the routes it services.  Its economy class will be difficult to beat as well.   Certainly compared to Air France and Lufthansa, which squeeze 538 and 526 passengers in their A380s, Korean Air will appear spacious in all classes, and perhaps deserves to be called the very best Skyteam airline!