Joint career talks by mechanics, cabin crew
Children's safety education program supported
Korean Air and Asiana Airlines have jointly carried out community service activities, including educational volunteer programs for the next generation, the airline announced Monday. The initiative aims to strengthen unity among employees of both carriers ahead of their planned merger in December.
The two airlines' joint education volunteer corps held a career talk on Saturday at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education's Yangcheon Library in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, drawing more than 50 elementary and middle school students.
A Korean Air mechanic and an Asiana Airlines cabin crew member, both part of the volunteer corps, served as speakers. Drawing on their firsthand experience, they introduced a range of roles in the aviation industry and offered practical guidance to help students map out their career paths.
"This talk gave me a much broader understanding of the aviation field and a chance to think more concretely about my future," one middle school student said. "Coming to the library on a weekend for this lecture was absolutely the best decision I made."
The day before, on Friday, volunteer members from the flight operations divisions of both airlines jointly supported a children's safety education program for local communities. The volunteers prepared snacks together for the children and spent time getting to know them, with icebreaker activities helping to build rapport before the main program began.
The children took part in the safety activities at Magok Safety Experience Center in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, where they learned safe practices for cycling and riding kick scooters, as well as rules for using public transportation. They also practiced emergency evacuation and other safety-related exercises, and learned how to respond to natural disasters — including earthquakes, typhoons and fires — along with how to use a fire extinguisher.
Volunteers from both airlines stayed by the children's sides throughout, offering explanations tailored to their age and holding their hands as needed. By helping facilitate scenarios based on real-life situations, the volunteers guided the children in naturally absorbing the safety rules and emergency response skills they need in daily life.
"With the launch of the integrated Korean Air approaching in December, employees from both companies are continuing to engage in voluntary exchanges and put the value of giving into practice," a Korean Air official said. "Our joint community service activities are not only bringing warmth to local communities but also serving as an opportunity to strengthen harmony and communication between the two companies."
Korean Air is set to absorb Asiana Airlines on Dec. 16, with the merged carrier relaunching as "integrated Korean Air" from Dec. 17. The two airlines signed a merger agreement in May, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport granted conditional approval for the merger in June.
eyre@heraldcorp.com
