NORTH KOREA WILL sign a series of agreements shortly with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which is expected to lead to opening up of Pyongyang's airspace to international traffic.
Discussions between IATA and North Korea on future co-operation are at an "advanced" stage, according to IATA regional director Tong Laven. A further meeting in Pyongyang in July is expected to result in agreements.
These include provision for North Korean flag carrier Air Koryo to join IATA, and for a memorandum of understanding on financial and technical issues, as well as the use of the organisation's billing system for overflight charges as a way of funding urgently required infrastructure improvements.
This is intended to lead to a trial programme of proving flights, using the Pyongyang flight information region (FIR). This could lead to routes being opened up early in 1997, suggests Laven.
While North Korea has the basic ability to support initial overflights, improvements are needed. These include a satellite link with adjacent FIRs and new air-to-ground communications.
"North Korea has made clear that it will open up to all airlines, including Korean Airlines and Asiana [of South Korea]," says Laven.
The move will result in major time savings on traffic between Seoul and Europe, as well as on flights from East Asia to North America. As many as 50-60 flights a day could benefit.
Joining IATA and the opening of North Korea's doors to international traffic appears to be motivated by political and economic considerations. Fees from overflights will provide North Korea with badly needed foreign currency.
Air Koryo needs to be modernised if it is to expand its limited and irregular international network. Its fleet of Ilyushin Il-62s and Tupolev Tu-134s serves Bangkok twice a week, as well as Beijing, Moscow and a few other former communist cities.
Source: Flight International
