North Korea is a nation like no other—and its civil aviation system is no exception. It remains the only country in the world where aircraft long retired elsewhere still regularly take to the skies. These include relics like the Il-18, a Soviet airliner that first flew in 1957 and now exists mostly in aviation museums. Yet in North Korea, it’s still in service.
All such planes belong to Air Koryo, the country’s sole airline, which operates international, domestic, and charter flights. Unsurprisingly, the airline is widely considered one of the world’s worst. The Skytrax rating agency, for example, gives it just one star, citing serious safety concerns.
Flying Through Time
Air Koryo’s fleet comprises about 20 aircraft. Some, like the Tupolev Tu-204 and Antonov An-148, are relatively modern. Others, however, are decades old—among them the Il-62, An-24, Il-76, Tu-134, and Tu-154.
The airline still operates the Il-18, the oldest passenger aircraft in service anywhere on Earth.
The Il-18 began production in 1958, and the last unit was delivered to Aeroflot in 1969. Most countries began retiring the aircraft in the late 1970s. In Russia, passenger transport aboard the Il-18 was officially banned by the Transport Ministry in 2002.
This four-engine turboprop low-wing airliner can carry between 80 and 122 passengers, with a cruising speed of 625 km/h. Today, Air Koryo is the only airline in the world still operating the Il-18, though even it is gradually phasing it out in favor of newer models.
Flights and Destinations
Air Koryo has offices and ticketing services in cities such as Beijing, Shenyang, Macau, Bangkok, Toronto, Berlin, Mexico City, Moscow, and Vladivostok. However, regular scheduled flights only operate to Beijing, Shenyang, Shanghai, and Vladivostok. The Beijing route is also serviced by Air China.
North Korea has only one international airport—located in Pyongyang. In 2016, a new terminal was unveiled, replacing the original 1950s building. The airport is clean and modern but sees little traffic. North Koreans are prohibited from traveling abroad and lack access to the internet, limiting their exposure to the outside world.
Most days, only three or four flights operate out of Pyongyang, nearly all of them run by Air Koryo.
Air Koryo’s Safety Record
Despite its aging fleet, Air Koryo has a surprisingly low number of recorded accidents. The only known fatal crash occurred during a flight from Pyongyang to Conakry, Guinea, when an Il-62M crashed in the Guinean mountains, killing all 23 people aboard.
There have also been a few runway incidents, including overruns involving the Tu-154B and Tu-204. These incidents ended without casualties. Notably, in 1976, a Tu-154B was severely damaged during a landing in Irkutsk due to interference from a crashing Tu-104, yet all passengers survived.
Contrary to its international reputation, North Korea’s civil aviation—while antiquated—has proven to be more reliable and less dangerous than many assume.
