Korean Air, S. Korea’s largest carrier, has taken delivery of its first 747-8 Intercontinental, the newest passenger version of Boeing's iconic 747.
With the delivery, Korean Air has become the world’s first airline to operate both the passenger and freighter (B747-8F) versions of the 747-8.
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The 747-8 passenger version delivered to the airline was the first of 10 747-8 passenger airplanes set to go to Korean Air by 2017. The airline plans to add four 747-8 airplanes to its fleet this year alone.
Since the fuel-efficient 747-8i is approximately 5.6 meters longer than the previous Boeing 747-400 model, it comes with about 50 more seats and has more payload capacity (up 27.9㎡).
With a normal cruise speed of Mach 0.86, the 747-8i is the fastest large commercial jet, according to Boeing. It can fly 14,815 kilometers tops for 14 hours, 2,386 kilometers further than the 747-400 model can.
The 747-8i’s both fuel burn per seat and carbon emissions are 16% lower its predecessor, the 747-400.
Korean Air's 747s will be configured with 368 seats -- six first-class seats, 48 prestige-class seats (26 on the lower deck and 22 on the upper) and 314 economy-class seats. Passengers traveling on the 747i can enjoy more space and comfort.
The first destination of Korean Air’s 747i will be Frankfurt, Germany. The flight is scheduled for September 2.
