This photo, provided by Korean Air Co. on Nov. 30, 2022, shows a lie-flat seat on the air carrier’s Airbus A321neo.
SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s major airlines are shifting their focus towards introducing new planes in preparation for the rebound in passenger demand, after years of downsizing the number of aircraft in service during the pandemic period.
Korean Air Co., the country’s top air carrier, introduced an A321neo jet from Airbus that entered service on Dec. 1.
The new aircraft will be deployed on short-haul routes including flights to Southeast Asia, China and Japan that have been covered primarily by low cost carriers. Korean Air plans to differentiate its service by providing high class seats.
Korean Air’s smaller rival Asiana Airlines Inc., which already operates five A321neo aircraft, plans to add one more by the end of this year. It aims to expand its fleet of A321neo aircraft to 25 by 2027.
Meanwhile, Jeju Air Co., South Korea’s leading budget carrier, plans to introduce 40 of Boeing’s next-generation B737-8 on a step by step basis starting from next year.
With a more than 1000 kilometers increase in its flying range, the new jet will be able to provide service to Central Asia and Indonesia.
“As the recovery of global passenger demand is looming, airlines are introducing and purchasing new planes in earnest,” said Koh Sun-young, an analyst at Yuanta Securities.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
