# 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:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/21 "2011-06-28T03:05:45Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > No… No, its’ vomit. Yes, but it’s extraordinary vomit. It’s the Dear Leader’s vomit, a great delicacy that you would be blessed to taste! ---
**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 28, 2011, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/22 "2011-06-28T04:01:09Z")
> [@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.) > [@Mahaloth](#): > > I think so. I’ve been on Air China many times and they are pretty good, actually. Same as any standard US airline, anyway. > [@Animastryfe](#): > > 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. I’m an Air China veteran myself. Have flown it inside China and between China and Bangkok. I agree it’s pretty decent. Never encountered any problems. ---
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/23 "2011-06-28T04:29:10Z")
I don’t know what you guys are complaining about? A quick read through the [customer reviews](http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/koryo.htm) shows that they are mostly positive. As far as the picture of the food, I guess since their flights are mostly short haul from NK to China, that’s more than the pretzel you usually get from a similar short haul flight in the US. White People’s Problems, I tell ya. ---
**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 28, 2011, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/24 "2011-06-28T05:10:54Z")
> [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](#): > > As far as the picture of the food, I guess since their flights are mostly short haul from NK to China, that’s more than the pretzel you usually get from a similar short haul flight in the US. I’d rather have pretzels in a bag, than pretzels that have already been chewed and partially digested by the flight attendants. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/25 "2011-06-28T05:12:29Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > I was especially… struck… by the photograph of the meal service. Link? Because I can’t seem to find it. ---
**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 28, 2011, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/26 "2011-06-28T05:22:34Z")
> [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](#): > > Link? Because I can’t seem to find it. The photos are at the bottom of [Air Koryo’s Wikipedia page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Koryo). ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/27 "2011-06-28T05:36:51Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I’d rather have pretzels in a bag, than pretzels that have already been chewed and partially digested by the flight attendants. That just means you don’t appreciate _first class service_. Only working class peasants chew their own food. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/28 "2011-06-28T05:43:09Z")
> [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](#): > > I don’t know what you guys are complaining about? A quick read through the [customer reviews](http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/koryo.htm) shows that they are mostly positive. As far as the picture of the food, I guess since their flights are mostly short haul from NK to China, that’s more than the pretzel you usually get from a similar short haul flight in the US. “I think one of the engines may have been inoperative, but otherwise the flight was fine.” ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/29 "2011-06-28T05:46:38Z")
I love the [safety video](http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/airline-business/2011/02/air-koryo-safety-video-with-ad.html). > [@](#): > > Welcome to Air Koryo’s airplane of Juche-oriented Korea vigorously advancing towards the Socialist powerful nation by the Songun politics of the Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/30 "2011-06-28T08:28:16Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > I love the [safety video](http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/airline-business/2011/02/air-koryo-safety-video-with-ad.html). Well, once you get past that, it’s pretty standard stuff. Just wondering though–how does the “we rely upon ourselves” Juche ideal reconcile with the “we have to buy aircraft from Russia” and “we have to buy jet fuel from China” reality? ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/31 "2011-06-28T12:42:07Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > I love the [safety video](http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/airline-business/2011/02/air-koryo-safety-video-with-ad.html). “In the event of an in-flight emergency, large, jagged holes will appear randomly throughout the cabin for your comfort and convenience.” thanks to Steve Dutra ---
**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 28, 2011, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/32 "2011-06-28T15:39:40Z")
> [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](#): > > I don’t know what you guys are complaining about? A quick read through the [customer reviews](http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/koryo.htm) shows that they are mostly positive. As far as the picture of the food, I guess since their flights are mostly short haul from NK to China, that’s more than the pretzel you usually get from a similar short haul flight in the US. > [@Scissorjack](#): > > “I think one of the engines may have been inoperative, but otherwise the flight was fine.” “As I was sat quite far back in the Il-62, it was right next to the engines, and I’ll never forget the feeling of impending dread and doom as we descended down to Sunan Airport.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/33 "2011-06-28T16:06:25Z")
Hysterical: The page that came up had an advert for a running shoe / sneaker / trainer that I’d seen before when a friend posted a link. Its logo? A sperm. No kidding. So I thought the link was broken and tried it again. Same sperm logo! ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/34 "2011-06-28T16:44:31Z")
I have flown Air Koryo from Beijing to Pyongyang (on an IL-62) and it was fine. The takeoff on a hot August day was long and shallow… thus a bit on the scary side, but the flight and service were perfectly fine. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/35 "2011-06-28T21:22:21Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > “As I was sat quite far back in the Il-62, it was right next to the engines, and I’ll never forget the feeling of impending dread and doom as we descended down to Sunan Airport.” 😃 I’m just guessing that descending was what the plane was best at – so, no worries! ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/36 "2011-06-29T04:41:02Z")
Yikes! I’m in the process of planning a tour of North Korea with [Koryo Tours](http://www.koryogroup.com/) within the next 6-12 months. Wonder if they use Air Koryo or a Chinese airline. ---
**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 29, 2011, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/37 "2011-06-29T04:46:03Z")
Take lots of photos! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/38 "2011-06-29T05:22:13Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Take lots of photos! And hope they don’t arrest you as a spy! ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791/39 "2011-06-29T05:52:31Z")
> [@JpnDude](#): > > Yikes! I’m in the process of planning a tour of North Korea with [Koryo Tours](http://www.koryogroup.com/) within the next 6-12 months. Wonder if they use Air Koryo or a Chinese airline. Both. But you’ll probably be on Air Koryo in at least one direction. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-koreas-air-koryo-the-worlds-one-star-airline/586791.md?page=1)