# North Korea's Air Koryo: The World's One-Star Airline **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 25, 2011, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791 "2011-06-25T02:19:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2011, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/1 "2011-06-25T02:19:23Z")
I am tickled to learn airlines are given star ratings just like hotels. By the international airline review agency [Skytrax](http://www.airlinequality.com/StarRanking/ranking.htm). Five-star airlines include Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways. Thai Airways and Virgin Atlantic are granted four-star status. Three stars are begrudged to the likes of American Airlines and Aeroflot. Lowly Air Zimbabwe and Biman Bangladesh snag two stars. But the world’s sole one-star airline: [Air Koryo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Koryo), the flag carrier of North Korea. Looks like there’s a Bangkok office too, so it must fly through our Suvarnabhumi Airport. There is a North Korean Embassy here, so I guess the diplomats fly it. Clicking on the [website link](http://www.korea-dpr.com//Air%20Koryo/index.htm) in the Wikipedia entry brings up an inspirational communist-looking logo, but the words “has been temporarily replaced” strike me as rather ominous. In North Korea, airlines fly _you_. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2011, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/2 "2011-06-25T03:00:51Z")
I was especially… struck… by the photograph of the meal service. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/3 "2011-06-25T03:28:22Z")
What the hell was that food on the plate? It looked like vomit. How many people actually fly on this airline? And given the safety record, I wouldn’t use them even with free flight. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/4 "2011-06-25T03:28:33Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > I was especially… struck… by the photograph of the meal service. Good grief, what IS that? I liked the boarding pass. Seat 19F? They really have enough passengers on the flight that they have to use seat 19F? ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2011, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/5 "2011-06-25T03:37:29Z")
The food doesn’t look all that weird. It’s a sandwich. The top part is the top bun with a leaf of lettuce on top of a creamy spread (cream cheese, mayo-based, or something) containing chopped vegetables (small bits of diced carrot are visible). The bottom is a small pressed patty of either chopped meat/vegetables (thinking pork or chicken and the ubiquitous diced carrot) or a “veggie patty” on the other half of the small white bread bun. The patty’s been lightly grilled/fried ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/6 "2011-06-25T03:42:21Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > I was especially… struck… by the photograph of the meal service. [Where’s the beef?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug75diEyiA0) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/7 "2011-06-27T17:27:27Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > I was especially… struck… by the photograph of the meal service. Heh. Meal quality was one of the few categories the airline actually scored better than one star. If you’re underwhelmed by the meals, think what the lavatories are like! ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/8 "2011-06-27T17:42:44Z")
I’ve always hoped there would be an airline that offered the trough-style urinals that are found in old stadiums. I think I may have found a candidate… ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/9 "2011-06-27T18:29:39Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Heh. Meal quality was one of the few categories the airline actually scored better than one star. Although they got zero stars for “Dine-on-Demand efficiency”, whatever that is. I’m guessing this means you get only what they serve you, when they want to serve it to you, and that’s that. > [@](#): > > If you’re underwhelmed by the meals, think what the lavatories are like! Actually, on “Washroom cleanliness”, in the various ticket classes, they get 2 or 3 stars (out of 5) every time. Which could still be pretty grubby and unappealing. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/10 "2011-06-27T18:36:24Z")
> [@Student\_Driver](#): > > The food doesn’t look all that weird. It’s a sandwich. The top part is the top bun with a leaf of lettuce on top of a creamy spread (cream cheese, mayo-based, or something) containing chopped vegetables (small bits of diced carrot are visible). The bottom is a small pressed patty of either chopped meat/vegetables (thinking pork or chicken and the ubiquitous diced carrot) or a “veggie patty” on the other half of the small white bread bun. The patty’s been lightly grilled/fried No… No, its’ vomit. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/11 "2011-06-27T20:54:28Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Heh. Meal quality was one of the few categories the airline actually scored better than one star. If you’re underwhelmed by the meals, think what the lavatories are like! Remember the scene in _Return of the Mummy_ (I think it was) where the kid has to use the lav on the train, opens it up, looks down, and sees the tracks wizzing by? I kinda imagine the same thing. Only without the tracks. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/12 "2011-06-27T20:55:46Z")
On the bright side, the staff seem to be moderately well-groomed and enthusiastic. “Have some more braised vomit, Mr. Tourist?” ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/13 "2011-06-27T22:01:12Z")
“Vomit, tea, or me?” ---
**Author:** ![xoferew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/e9a140/32.png) [@xoferew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xoferew)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/14 "2011-06-27T22:38:27Z")
Yikes. I thought Air China was bad - my seat was broken and wouldn’t un-recline, several overhead bins wouldn’t latched closed and flapped open and shut throughout the trip, and the snack was a bun that smelled like play dough, but I see they got three stars, so I can only imagine what one star would mean. (I only flew once on Air China and I may well have gotten their only scary plane. Hopefully the rest of them are great.) ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/15 "2011-06-28T00:51:52Z")
And here I thought that Alitalia with their rude employees, unreliable schedule and chunky coffee had to be the worst. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/16 "2011-06-28T00:58:12Z")
> [@xoferew](#): > > Yikes. I thought Air China was bad - my seat was broken and wouldn’t un-recline, several overhead bins wouldn’t latched closed and flapped open and shut throughout the trip, and the snack was a bun that smelled like play dough, but I see they got three stars, so I can only imagine what one star would mean. > > (I only flew once on Air China and I may well have gotten their only scary plane. Hopefully the rest of them are great.) I think so. I’ve been on Air China many times and they are pretty good, actually. Same as any standard US airline, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Animastryfe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Animastryfe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Animastryfe)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/17 "2011-06-28T01:08:26Z")
> [@xoferew](#): > > Yikes. I thought Air China was bad - my seat was broken and wouldn’t un-recline, several overhead bins wouldn’t latched closed and flapped open and shut throughout the trip, and the snack was a bun that smelled like play dough, but I see they got three stars, so I can only imagine what one star would mean. > > (I only flew once on Air China and I may well have gotten their only scary plane. Hopefully the rest of them are great.) I have flown on Air China a few dozen times, and I do not think I have encountered the first two on your list. However, I now exclusively use Air Canada when traveling to China. ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/18 "2011-06-28T01:51:23Z")
Holy shit. North Korea has an official _forum_. Best. Moderation. Gig. _Ever_. Yes, I know it’s just a propaganda outlet, not a message board. Hush, you. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/19 "2011-06-28T02:53:47Z")
> [@Gukumatz](#): > > Holy shit. North Korea has an official _forum_. > > Best. Moderation. Gig. _Ever_. > [/size] What forum? ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/20 "2011-06-28T02:59:49Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > What forum? [http://www.korea-dpr.com/forum/](http://www.korea-dpr.com/forum/) Appropriately, it’s a propaganda blog with comments disabled. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791.md?page=2)