John Jackson, VP at Korean Air
On Monday, June 6th, I had the privilege to interview John Jackson. Mr. Jackson is the Vice President of Passenger Sales & Marketing for the Americas at Korean Air. He has over 36 years of experience in the aviation industry, working for Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Korean Air. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Joshua Kupietzky: How did you start your career in the aviation industry?
John Jackson: The airline business is in my DNA. My dad and mom were both with Delta and I was a college campus sales rep for Eastern Airlines. It was a foregone conclusion that someday I was going into the family business.
JK: When do you think Korean Air will remove its mask mandate, and will it hurt leisure and business travel for Korean Air if it is removed?
JJ: We don’t need a mask mandate for a variety of reasons. First, if a traveler feels more comfortable wearing a mask, then he or she should wear one. We appreciate the consideration. But the interior of our aircraft is one of the cleanest and safest environments around. Our staff continuously cleans the planes, and the industrial-grade HEPA filters provide clean, filtered air into the cabin interior every three minutes.
JK: How do you view the main changes that have come about in the aviation sector because of the pandemic? For example, a lot of flyers think about change fees. Many airlines have waived them. Does Korean Air plan to waive change fees? Do you think change fees are gone for good, and if you remove them, how would you adapt that part of your business if they were?
JJ: Korean Air has waived change fees because it’s the right thing to do. Korean Air has waived ticket reissue charges for the first itinerary change and the airline allows for international flights to be rescheduled until the end of 2022. Refund penalties can also be waived if itineraries are affected by government travel restrictions after purchase. Korean Air has also extended the validity of SKYPASS mileage expiring this year for six months to one year.
JK: How important is the joint venture (JV) with Delta? Are there plans to add more routes to North America?
JJ: The Korean Air/Delta joint venture is the industry’s most comprehensive transpacific network and has enhanced and emboldened both airlines’ global positions. We’ve learned a lot from Delta and they’ve learned a lot from us – making the partnership stronger than ever. As a partnership, we offer customers better schedules, more frequencies, more gateways and an easier way to fly. For example, Korean Air opened Boston to Incheon, and Delta has recently announced its launch of the Incheon-Portland route, all of which were results of the JV.
JK: Korean Air and Asiana Airlines have some overlapping routes and with the merger between Korean Air and Asiana Airline. How do you plan to adjust these routes and operate them? And Korean Air and Asiana Airlines have various fleet types. How are you going to manage them to keep efficiency after the merger?
JJ: The merger is moving along nicely and when it goes through, Korean Air’s network will be one of the world’s best and offer more direct access to the world’s most dynamic market: the Asia Pacific region. It will benefit our customers and the communities we serve through diversified schedules and network expansion, providing more choices.
JK: Korean Air's long haul fleet consists of the 777, 747-8, and 787. How did you choose the Boeing long haul family (747-8 and 787) instead of the Airbus long haul family (A330neo and A350)?
JJ: We use both Boeing and Airbus aircraft for long-haul flights and have about the same number of aircraft from both manufacturers. Different markets require different use of aircrafts based on capacity and demand.
JK: Korean Air, like all carriers, has retooled its network since the start of the pandemic. What has worked and what hasn't? As you continue to emerge from the pandemic, do you see your network targeting more business or VFR (visiting family and relatives) travelers? What lessons has the pandemic taught you about its network and the mix of leisure and business travel?
JJ: Korean Air is a major international airline and the pandemic taught us that we need to be more flexible to change strategy and focus depending on the environment we’re presented with. There’s no doubt the pandemic made us evaluate priorities.
It also taught us some lessons in creativity: we reconfigured passenger aircraft into cargo carriers and carried much needed vaccines and medical supplies worldwide. We also provided increased air freight services to a world with supply chain issues. We showed profitability throughout the pandemic by being focused and flexible. Now we have reinstated all our destinations in the Americas, increased frequencies and up-gauged aircraft at major gateways like New York and Los Angeles.
JK: Like many airlines, Korean Air has suffered from staff shortages. Given the staff shortages and the difficulty of finding qualified staff, what is your strategy for recruiting people to work at Korean Air?
JJ: Korean Air had zero layoffs. During the pandemic, over 50 percent of employees voluntarily took rotational leave and now it’s a matter of bringing them back. We have plenty of staff to support our post-pandemic market.
JK: Despite COVID-19, Korean Air was one of a handful of airlines in 2020 and 2021 to achieve an operating profit. What were your strategies for being so successful during the challenging time of the pandemic?
JJ: We’re proud to say we’re one of a handful of companies that made an operating profit for the past eight quarters, and achieved a net profit last year. Our Chairman, Walter Cho, has said numerous times that the airline’s sustained profitability is largely due to the sacrifice, loyalty and hard work of Korean Air’s staff around the world.
JK: What do you see as the benefits of Korean Air's participation in the SkyTeam alliance?
JJ: Korean Air is a founding member of SkyTeam and the alliance has proven to be beneficial on a variety of levels. For example, Korean Air has developed the Mexican market largely due to our association with another SkyTeam founding member, Aeromexico. In addition, there have been useful technological advances that the alliance has shared with members. SkyTeam is an integral part of the Korean Air experience.
JK: What do you consider your greatest achievement in the airline industry?
JJ: My 20-year history with Korean Air has opened a world of challenges and opportunities. For example, I was a catalyst for the airline to extend its reach into the global corporate travel business. We created a sales network that gave the airline an unprecedented position in the Americas – Korean Air is the largest Asian airline in America. We’ve amplified the volume of Korean Air’s global voice and I’m particularly proud of that.
JK: What are your goals for Korean Air, short- and long-term?
JJ: Right now, we’re focusing on strengthening our joint venture with Delta and completing the Asiana merger. We also are investing in the passenger experience with unique inflight offerings and smart scheduling. It’s an exciting time for Korean Air.
JK: What do you anticipate happening to the airline industry in the next decade? What would you like to see happen?
JJ: The only thing that’s consistent in the airline industry is change. So Korean Air must be nimble and flexible enough to adapt to the many changes, known and unknown, that face our business.
JK: We started this interview talking about your background in the aviation industry. What advice do you have for young people trying to start a career in the aviation industry?
JJ: Take on as many roles as you can in the industry because there are so many different fields you can learn. While we easily see flight crews, ground staff and marketing experts, there’s a whole world of business planners, flight and fleet schedulers, safety officers and loyalty and partnership people behind the scenes. It’s a great career.
