Korean Air

Since its founding on March 1, 1969, as a small Asian airline with just eight aircraft, the company has grown into the world’s only airline with comprehensive aerospace capabilities — encompassing not only passenger and cargo transportation but also aircraft maintenance, parts production, and unmanned aerial vehicle development — through proactive route expansion, service innovation, and continuous change and investment.

Considering the adoption of Zoom Phone to overcome the complexities of on-premise systems

For over 20 years, Korean Air operated its branch telephone services through On-premise systems. They relied on domestic Cisco Broadworks and overseas Cisco CUCM and VG solutions, facing complex challenges such as server management, equipment replacement, and branch maintenance. Especially for overseas branches, separate gateways, leased lines, and VoIP channel configurations required high operational costs and extensive manpower. To address these challenges, Korean Air adopted the cloud-based Zoom Phone. As a cloud- and license-based service, it nearly eliminates the need to manage servers and branch equipment, allowing centralized maintenance and significantly improving operational efficiency.

Implementing Global Telephone Services with Zoom Phone

Korean Air is currently rolling out Zoom Phone to approximately 210 domestic and international branches, deploying 11,000 licenses. The headquarters manages communications for each branch, while Zoom partners configure branch-specific requirements for stable adoption. Zoom’s professional service support delivers smooth deployment and provides expert assistance to maintain installation and operational stability, enabling rapid response in case of issues so the global rollout proceeds without major disruption.

Enhancing Employee and Customer Experience with Zoom Contact Center

To address various issues during installation and early adoption, Korean Air operates a dedicated help desk. Employees receive support not only via phone but also through email and internal messaging channels.

Additionally, Zoom Contact Center has replaced local call center equipment at some overseas branches handling customer calls. It currently manages approximately 200 calls per day, about 6,200 calls per month, and several team members noted that agent satisfaction has improved compared to the previous environment.. Adoption is expected to expand gradually, allowing the Contact Center to serve as a critical point of contact between customers and branches.

Cost Reduction and Operational Efficiency

The adoption of Zoom Phone significantly reduced the operational burden of telephone services. Previously perceived as requiring complex setup, extensive manpower, and high costs, telephone service has become more accessible, requiring fewer personnel and lower costs. On-premise operations previously required site visits to 2–3 branches per month for server, equipment, or overseas branch issues, but Zoom Phone has nearly eliminated the need for such visits, achieving substantial cost savings.

Passenger operations require telephone services not only in offices but also at airport counters and boarding gates. The previous reliance on physical phones limited support in these areas. Zoom Phone’s softphone functionality, installable on mobile devices, enables flexible telephone usage in the field, greatly improving operational efficiency.

Integration and Future Innovation

In December 2026, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines will merge into a single airline. Amid rapidly changing global conditions, the new integrated airline will continue to lead the aviation industry. In this process, Zoom Phone will serve as a key platform enabling seamless internal and external communication. Beyond basic call functionality, its advanced features will enhance operational efficiency and support Korean Air’s digital transformation initiatives, driving forward future-oriented innovation.

Additionally, Zoom Contact Center will progressively expand IT support and customer inquiry handling for global branches, supporting reliable and efficient communication in the integrated airline environment. Zoom solutions form a cornerstone of Korean Air’s digital transformation journey, playing a pivotal role in the airline’s advancement toward a better, more innovative future.