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Well what did you expect? North Korea's flag carrier airline Air Koryo isn't all that amazing.

It's been ranked by leading aviation review and ranking site Skytrax as the world's worst airline for years – the only one star carrier out of all 681 assessed annually simply because they don't have a no star category.

But the world's most secretive and isolated nation is about to upgrade its flying status (in fairness, the super posh Middle East carriers probably don't need to worry too much about this) from the current timewarp experience of ancient planes with little in-flight entertainment, memorable (in a bad way) food, and minimal customer service.

North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un has authorised an air revolution for Air Koryo, with new (ish) aircraft, the arrival of in-flight entertainment (it's probably best to manage your expectations here), new cabin crew uniforms and even that fancy dan business class so loved by those evil capitalist westerners.

Media gurus Bloomberg News have investigated state-owned Air Koryo - which has had one fatal crash, in 1983 - and come up with five perfectly valid (or completely insane, depending on your point of view) reasons to book your Air Koryo ticket now, before the 'thrill' of flying the world's only one star airline vanishes forever.

1) You get to see North Korea (obviously)

Besides the 'joy' of experiencing Air Koryo, you get a peek inside the reclusive dictatorship. Singapore passenger Mindy (say hello to Mork for us) Tan visited last year and told Bloomberg: "I'm sick of all the same footage of marching, pictures of Kim. I just had to witness it for myself.''

Around 5,000 tourists visit the totalitarian country annually , undeterred by having little or no mobile or internet access, the constant presence of a government-appointed tour guide and having to hang around your hotel at night because there's nothing much else to do, unless you can track down a local bar.

Still, there's always the chance of the odd nuclear test or missile launch to liven up the day and Pyongyang's annual marathon is popular.

(Image: Barcroft)

2) Unique in-flight entertainment

The screens that drop down from the ceiling of the plane will offer a range of propaganda broadcasts and music from Kim Jong-un's favourite all-female band Moranbong , who sing patriotic songs about... Kim Jong-un. You can't turn the sound off. Enjoy.

(Image: Barcroft)

3) The planes (we are not talking Dreamliners here)

Air Koryo recently acquired two Russian-built 1990s-era Tupolev Tu-204s for international routes, with an economy ticket costing about 900 yuan ($137) for the two-hour journey from Beijing.

The rest of the fleet is not quite so modern. You could fly on a 1960s Ilyushin Il-62 or head back to the late 1950s for a spin on an Antonov An-24 - both planes made in the heyday of the USSR .

In 2006 the EU banned Air Koryo from its airspace on safety grounds, but now allows the Tu-204s to fly in.

Aviation enthusiast Sam Chui, who's flown Air Koryo about 20 times, said: "It’s a very different experience... travelling back 20, 30 years.''

Read more: inside the Dream Factory

4) Skip those airport queues

Arrival at the Democratic People's Republic should be a breeze. No longer do you have to shuffle through the shed that has been masquerading as an airport terminal for the past five years, now Pyongyang Sunan International Airport has a sleek, new building.

And with only around half a dozen international flights a day and none of the workers going on strike any time soon (those labour camps aren't a barrel of laughs), you'll pretty much have the place to yourself.

(Image: Reuters)

5) The airline food

The most-photographed part of any Air Koryo flight is the famous "mystery meat" burger .

"The burger has been going on for so many years, everyone’s making fun of it," says Sam Chui, who has eaten at least 10 of them and is still alive to tell the tale.

Bloomberg asked Air Koryo's office in Beijing what the mystery meat is in the burger and is still waiting for a response. It's possibly not ground fillet steak. Close your eyes, chew...and pray. Passengers who've reviewed the flights on Skytrax did at least say the beer on board wasn't bad!

Read more: 6 days in the life of a long haul jet

How to get there...

London-based Juche Travel Services offers an aviation-themed tour from May 9 to 13.

Simply meet at the Chonji restaurant in Beijing for your pre-tour meeting where you'll get travel documents, a briefing and dinner and a chance to meet your fellow travellers.

Your accommodation in Pyongyang is the four star (that's the North Korea idea of four stars, not the west's) Koryo Hotel, which does at least have a microbrewery bar.

The tour costs €1,220 with accommodation in shared twin rooms. Flights to Beijing are not included.

And good luck with that burger...