Orient Aviation, a reputable Asia-Pacific trade publication since 1993, has named Korean Air and Hanjin Group Chairman and CEO Walter Cho as their Person of the Year. The honor is based on distinguished regional and global aviation industry leadership and performance.
On Thursday (December 2, 2021), Korean Air announced the selection of the airline’s Chairman and CEO, Walter Cho, as their Person of the Year by Orient Aviation. Founded in 1993, the media group was the Asia-Pacific region’s first commercial aviation news magazine. The prestigious Person of the Year honor is bestowed on an individual who has demonstrated distinguished regional and global aviation industry leadership and performance. Mr. Cho’s selection as the publication’s Person of the Year during one of the greatest crises in the history of the global aviation industry has recognized his outstanding leadership and business acumen. During the pandemic, he also made the bold decision to acquire Asiana Airlines, a leadership move lauded as an effort to strengthen the Korean domestic aviation industry and propel the company forward in the post-pandemic environment.
In Thursday’s announcement, Korean Air and Hanjin Group’s Chairman and CEO, Walter Cho, said,
“I’m honored and humbled to be chosen as Orient Aviation’s Person of the Year. This was made possible because of the dedicated and loyal effort of our people. I’m grateful for our people’s commitment, and proud of the smart decisions we’ve made to transform our business to adapt to new environments.”
Orient Aviation’s Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Christine McGee, added,
“Walter Cho’s nimble and market accurate strategy for Korean Air has resulted in profitable operations unrivalled by the company’s airline peers.”’
As passenger traffic came to a virtual halt as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Walter Cho and his team at Korean Air shifted their focus to the airline’s cargo operation by maximizing cargo fleet utilization, converting passenger aircraft to freighters, and operating cargo-only passenger flights. With extensive experience in handling specialized cargo, Korean Air has been transporting vaccines, medical equipment, PPE and emergency supplies throughout the pandemic. As a result, the company recently reported a record quarterly cargo revenue, as well as operating profits for six consecutive quarters. Under Walter Cho’s leadership, Korean Air was also selected as Air Transport World’s 2021 Airline of the Year, and the company seeks to grow into the world’s most loved airline.
Source: Korean Air