Chairman Park Sam-koo of Kumho-Asiana Group.

The officials of the Management Reform Team of Kumho-Asiana Group shake hands to resolve to work for the team’s objectives. (Photos: Kumho-Asiana)

Kumho-Asiana Group set up a Management Reform Team to focus on the development of technologies related to the 4th Industrial Revolution and strengthen its IT function designed to make the corporation nimbler.

The group has been going all out to find new growth engines amid rapid changes brought by on the 4th Industrial Revolution, with each of its affiliates going full blast to develop new technologies and sharpen the competitive power.

The group also plans to launch a new online sales unit to boost online sales, with the team being led by an officer who has some 14 years of service under his belt, making him the youngest among the team heads. The initiative is in line with a plan to sharpen the analysis and planning operations to cope with changes in the environment thru the generational changes in the leadership.

The appointment of the young team head is in accordance with the group’s plan to cope with frequent changes in the ever-changing aviation industry’s strategies and operations.

Asiana Airlines currently operates A321-200 airliners on short-haul routes, especially to its cities in China, Japan and Southeast Asia. The new A321neo will first be delivered in 2019 and gradually replace the aging A321-200 fleet. Asiana Airlines has outlined its fleet plan to operate A380 doubl-edecker and A350 aircraft for long- and medium-haul routes and the A321neo to destinations around Asia.

Kumho-Asiana changed the A321neo cabin layout to increase the number of seats to 180 compared to the existing A321-200’s 171 seats. These aircraft consumes 20 percent less fuel and offers improved fuel efficiency with their cutting-edge engines that, in turn, help reduce pollution.

Air Busan will be out to explore new international air routes this year, especially the Busan-Singapore route. Last month, the low-cost air carrier had A321-200 planes fly the Busan-Singapore route for the first time twice weekly, and seats on those flights were 98 percent full. Air Busan will try to get a license for the new air route as soon as possible from Busan and nearby cities.

In the meantime, Kumho Engineering and Construction Co. has been focusing on the construction of the IT high-tech apartments which will be in great demand with the arrival of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

The construction company signed a cooperative agreement with SK Telecom on the provision of smart home service in January, last year. The service includes music, weather reports, and the traffic information reports around the country, among others, making up the contents geared for the comfort of the public who need those day-to-day info vital in their daily lives. They only have to have a smart phone to get the smart home service.

Asiana Airlines will continue to operate its state-of-the-art Airbus A380 airliners with the First Suite, Business Smartium and economy class cabins to Los Angeles and New York. “Our First Suite seats, equipped with sliding doors, an 80-inch-long full-flat bed and a 32-inch HD screen, maximize passengers’ in-flight privacy and ensure all the comfort they need.

Asiana’s award-winning meals and wine selections also spice up their flights. In the business-class cabin, flight attendants serve Western cuisine co-developed with one of Korea’s finest Italian restaurants. First-class travelers can try traditional Korean royal cuisine, once enjoyed by kings,” the airline said.

To make the journey even more comfortable, Asiana offers complimentary limousine service to first-class passengers from the United States and Europe.