Korean Air has taken delivery of its first 747-8 Intercontinental, becoming only the third airline after Lufthansa and Air China to operate the newest jumbo jet model in a passenger configuration. The new fuel-efficient jet is the first of 10 747-8 passenger airplanes the carrier has on order.

“This new aircraft delivers better fuel economy,” says executive vice president and chief marketing officer Walter Cho. “That’s important to a global airline such as ours. And it supports our goal to build and operate a first-class fleet of world-class aircraft.”

With the addition of the B747- 8 Intercontinental to its fleet, Korean Air became the first airline in the world to operate both types of the B747-8. In 2012, Korean Air introduced the B747-8 Freighter and operates six of these aircraft.

About 70 percent of the aircraft, by structural weight, incorporates new advanced aluminum alloys and carbon composites to reduce the weight drastically and giving a 16 percent improvement in fuel consumption and emissions over its predecessor the 747-400, while generating 30 percent less noise. With a range of 14,815km, the new B747 will be the fastest wide body passenger jet in the world with a normal cruising speed of Mach 0.86.

Korean Air’s new B747-8 Intercontinental is configured with 368 seats in a three-class configuration; 6 First Class, 48 Prestige Class (26 seats on the upper deck and 22 seats on the main deck) and 314 Economy Class. The aircraft also features Korean Air’s brand new First Class Kosmo Suites 2.0 (above) designed with a sliding door and higher partitions to provide added privacy for passengers. The suites are also equipped with updated in-flight entertainment systems, with large 24-inch high-definition monitors and new handheld touch remotes. The airline’s Prestige Class Suites will feature staggered seating and privacy panels, along with 18-inch high definition touch screens. The aircraft also features an all-new, 787 Dreamliner-inspired interior that includes new curved, upswept architecture, giving passengers the feel of more space and comfort.

Commencing this month, Korean Air will operate its B747-8 Intercontinental from Seoul on the Frankfurt and Singapore routes. The airline also plans to introduce the aircraft on the San Francisco and Hong Kong routes from November. www.koreanair.com