One Star Fits All

North Korea's airline Koryo is the only one star international carrier in existence.

(Pic cred: Joseph Ferris III)

However, it hasn't had accident since the mid 80s (well, that we know of) so I'm guessing the lack of stars is more a commentary on it's eccentricity over anything else. For example the in-flight 'entertainment' is propaganda soaked to the max, marching music plays on take-off and those who've sampled the food could call it curious at best. And of course the fact that it's run by a repressive country with a deplorable human rights record (which is likely why, although it flies to six foreign countries, it's banned from landing anywhere in the European Union.)

Another of it's quirks is that most of the fleet are old Russian made Antonov's, Tupolevs, or Ilyushins; lumbering metal monsters with interiors that have more in common with formica laminated caravanning in the 70s than the gloss and functionality of aviation today. From a purely geek-bag point of view I just love a plane that's essentially an archaic rust-bucket. And for that reason my favourite is the Il-62. Described by one blogger as a cold-war passenger jet, it comes complete with bakelite window shades, overhead baggage racks that don't close and 'climbs like a fighter jet.' (Apparently the descents are equally 'military' - grab a hold of your propaganda branded vom-bag, quick.)

(Photo cred: Joseph Ferris III, americaninnorthkorea.com)

Some of the fleet are newer however, thanks to maestro of hair-dont's Kim Jong Un and his penchant for flying. His dad wasn't keen, but now they've got someone from the royal collective to endorse the national carrier, more attention is being paid to making it look a little less like an act of relic preservation.

But who flies? Given that most people are struggling when it comes to essential human needs and rights like food, nutrition and ahem, freedom, it's unsurprising to find it's mostly military officials and the government elite.

Here's a couple of weird things to expect on a Koryo flight:
- Air floss! The potential of misty cabin condensation as the air con struggles to exist.
- Revolutionary marching band music on take-off
- Propaganda heavy in-flight 'films' (don't expect plot).
- Propaganda heavy reading material: Pyongyang Times or a propaganda mag.
- Noisy engines if it's an old Sovio-plane. According to avio-blogger Bernie Leighton (a man who will go 'anywhere on anything' - amazing) the mechanics of the Il-62 engines means on taxi and takeoff, the volume goes nuts - at a super high frequency. It's normal. But also weird.

(Il-62 engine motto: scream if you want to go faster)

Some of the more amusing nuggets of passenger reviews and comments on air travel rating site Skytrax, go like this:

'Helpful friendly staff! But the cabin was full of fog.'
'BOTH pilots came to say hello to the dignitaries with me...'
'The lavs are impeccable.'
'There was a demonstration of the use of life jackets. At night.'
'They showed a North Korean concert on a loop.'
'The flight attendant held the wall on take-off.'
'Wonderfully nostalgic. Dry ice and folk music in the cabin. Plus the Thai football team!'

(Photo cred: Bernie Leighton)

Weirdest of all, Air Koryo is on Twitter. But given their last 'update' was in 2012, don't expect a flurry of fancy gifs or pithy puns any time soon. But I'm following them, so I'll keep you posted...