5 interesting things about flying with the world's worst airline - Air Koryo

(Baonghean.vn) - North Korea's national airline - Air Koryo, after many years of being ranked by Skytrax as the world's worst airline, is preparing to undergo the most comprehensive renovation in its history. New planes, new forms of entertainment and the establishment of Business Class are part of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un's plan to stimulate tourism with the goal of reaching 2 million visitors to North Korea by 2020.

Here are five reasons why you should book your Air Koryo tickets now, as this is your last chance to fly with the world's only “one-star” airline.

A mysterious kingdom

Aside from the Air Koryo experience, the purpose of most tourists visiting North Korea is to explore this most isolated country in the world. Mindy Tan, a Singaporean, shared after visiting North Korea last year that he was tired of seeing parades and portraits of Kim Jong Un everywhere.

Arirang Sports Festival at May Day Stadium, Pyongyang.

Don’t worry about nuclear tests or missile launches, here you can jog along the streets of Pyongyang to see 100,000 children dancing in synchronization. North Korea is also planning to open other tourist attractions such as the Masikryong Ski Resort and the Taesong Lake Golf Club.

In-flight entertainment

Safety video on screen in the cabin.

The in-flight screens will entertain you with propaganda and performances by supreme leader Kim Jong Un's favorite girl band - Moranbong - about himself. And you can't even adjust the volume.

Plane

A Russian-made Tupolev Tu-204 aircraft at Pyongyang airport.

Normally you wouldn't fly to a country just to experience flying, but perhaps in North Korea this is entirely possible.

London-based Juche Travel offers this air tour. Air Koryo recently purchased two Tupoley Tu-204s for international flights, with economy fares starting at around 900 North Korean yen ($137) for a two-hour flight from Beijing. Once in Pyongyang, you can hop on Soviet-era planes like the Mil Mi-17 for a tour of the city.

“It was a very different experience, like going back to the 80s and 90s,” said Sam Chui, who has flown with the airline 20 times.

Waiting in line at the airport

A new international airport terminal is under construction at Pyongyang airport.

If you have ever waited in a long line before boarding a plane, you will be surprised when you land and enter the airport in North Korea. You will no longer have to go through a temporary building “pretending” to be an airport, but instead a brand new building that is deserted because there are only less than six flights per day.

Hamburger

Although the food has improved a lot, especially in business class, the airline's in-flight burgers remain a bit of a mystery.

Hamburger served on Air Koryo

“These burgers have been around for a long time and everyone jokes about them,” said Chui, who has eaten at least ten. To put an end to the debate over the origins of the mystery meat, we called the company’s Beijing office but received no response.

Thanh Hien

(According to Bloomberg)