Korean Air CEO Receives Excellence in Leadership Award from ATW

From right to left, Walter Cho, Korean Air Chairman and CEO, and Adrian Schofield, Aviation Week senior air transport editor, at ATW Awards Ceremony. Photo source: Korean Air.

Korean Air Chairman and CEO Walter Cho, was recently honored with the Excellence in Leadership Award at Air Transport World’s (ATW) 49th Airline Industry Achievement Awards ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey.

Established in 1974, the ATW Airline Industry Achievement Awards are highly coveted honors in the airline industry. The recipients undergo a rigorous evaluation process conducted by a global judging panel of editors and analysts.

Cho was recognized for his role as a key leader in the global aviation industry as a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Board of Governors and Chairman of the SkyTeam Alliance Board.

Korean Air Chairman and CEO Walter Cho gives Excellence in Leadership award acceptance remarks at the ATW Awards Ceremony. Photo source: Korean Air.

Cho’s leadership and crisis management skills have been widely acknowledged, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. He successfully steered Korean Air through the crisis and made the historic decision to acquire Asiana Airlines. Cho has also strengthened the airline’s global presence by launching a comprehensive transpacific joint venture partnership with Delta.

“I’m very humbled to receive this award, and I share this with all of my employees and colleagues at Korean Air, our valued customers, and our great partner, Delta,” said Cho at the awards ceremony.

Karen Walker, ATW Editor-in-Chief, with all award recipients at the ATW Awards Ceremony. Photo source: Korean Air.

In addition to Cho’s recognition, Korean Air has garnered several awards in recent years. It was named ATW’s 2021 Airline of the Year and 2022 Cargo Operator of the Year. Cho himself has received prestigious awards for his outstanding leadership, including FlightGlobal’s 2022 Air Cargo Leadership Award and Orient Aviation’s 2021 Person of the Year.

Korean Air, serving passengers for over 50 years, is one of the world’s top 20 airlines. With its global hub at Incheon International Airport (ICN), the airline operates flights to 120 cities in 43 countries across five continents.

As a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, Korean Air has grown into one of the largest transpacific airlines through its joint venture with Delta Air Lines.

Danae Airlines S.A. is the GSA (General Sales Agent) of Korean Air for Greece.