Asiana Airlines Inc. is a South Korean airline headquartered in Seoul.[4] The airline operates 90 international passenger routes, 14 domestic passenger routes and 27 cargo routes throughout Asia, Europe, and North America. In 2019, it accounted for 25% of South Korea's international aviation market and 20% of its domestic market.[5] It maintains its international hub at Incheon International Airport and its domestic hub at Gimpo International Airport, both in Seoul.
Asiana Airlines started merging with Korean Air in 2024, creating a dominant carrier in South Korea and completing a process that was initiated in 2020. It is a full-service airline member of Star Alliance. Asiana Airlines has two subsidiary low-cost carriers, Air Busan and Air Seoul: It is the largest shareholder of Air Busan, a regional carrier that the airline established as joint venture with Busan;[6] it also operates Air Seoul, a wholly owned subsidiary.
History
Founding
Korean Air, which was acquired by Hanjin Transportation in 1969, had a monopoly on the South Korean airline industry until the establishment of Asiana in 1988.[7] Asiana's formation did not come about as a policy initiative favoring liberalized market conditions, but rather because of pressure from other chaebols and interests that wanted to compete.[8] It was formed by the Kumho Asiana Group (formerly Kumho Group) and was originally known as Seoul Air International. Asiana was established on 17 February 1988 and started operations in December 1988 with flights to Busan. As of 2007, the airline was owned by domestic private investors (30.53%), Kumho Industrial (29.51%), Kumho Petrochemical (15.05%), foreign investors (11.9%), Korea Development Bank (7.18%), and others (5.83%).[9]
Corporate affairs
The airline has its global headquarters in Seoul at the Asiana Town (아시아나타운) in Osoe-dong, Gangseo District, Seoul.[4] The airline's head office moved from Hoehyeon-dong, Jung District to Asiana Town in Osoe-dong on 1 April 1998.[47]
Destinations
Asiana Airlines serves destinations on five continents, with an Asian network that includes important cities in the People's Republic of China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. The airline serves several gateway cities in North America and Europe while retaining limited coverage of Oceania. Asiana Cargo, the airline's cargo subsidiary, also has a wide network, especially in Europe, Asia, and the United States.
Asiana decided to launch Air Seoul, the airline's second subsidiary and its low-cost carrier, based in Incheon International Airport, and transfer some of its unprofitable routes to the subsidiary in November 2016.[48]
Codeshare agreements
Asiana Airlines codeshares with these airlines:[49]
Fleet
Services
Cabins
Asiana Airlines offers five classes of service – First Suite Class, First Class, Business Smartium Class, Business Class, and Travel (economy) Class. Seat configurations and in-flight entertainment systems vary by the type of aircraft and its operating routes.[65]
First Suite class is offered on A380-800, which is serviced on routes to Los Angeles, New York City, Sydney, and Frankfurt.[66] Both First Suite and old First Class were available on Boeing 777s but were later removed in favor of a two-class configuration. Passengers in these classes are offered pyjamas, souvenirs, and "amenity kits" containing items such as skin creams, toothpaste, eye shades, and earplugs. A passenger can pre-order in-flight meals 48 hours before departure. First-class seats are equipped with personal AVOD systems.
Besides those routes, most of Asiana's international flights offer two types of classes – business smartium class or business class as the highest class and travel class, without first class. Some of the short-length international flights and charter flights are operated on a mono-class basis, as well as all of the airline's domestic flights. Business Smartium Class is installed on Boeing 777-200ER, and Business Class is installed on A330, but some of the A330 are equipped with newly furbished cocoon seats. Most of Asiana's Travel class seats also have television or video systems.
Marketing
Asiana has endorsement deals with the following:
- Park Ji-Sung[69] – Manchester United ambassador
- K. J. Choi[69] – professional golfer
- Yang Yong-eun[69] – professional golfer
- Chan-Ho Park[69] – ex-MLB pitcher
- YG Entertainment[70]
Accidents and incidents
- On 26 July 1993, Asiana Airlines Flight 733, a Boeing 737-500 (HL7229) crashed in poor weather about 10 kilometers short of the runway in Mokpo while making its third landing attempt on runway 06 at Mokpo Airport. Two of the six crew members and 66 of the 110 passengers on board were killed.[71]
- On 11 November 1998, an Asiana Airlines Boeing 747-400 was attempting a U-turn in the gate area of Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport when the tip of its wing collided with the tail of an Ilyushin Il-62M belonging to Aeroflot. No one was injured. Asiana was subsequently sued by Aeroflot, and the Il-62M was written off.[72]
- On 9 June 2006, Asiana Airlines Flight 8942 (Airbus A321-131) from Jeju International Airport to Gimpo International Airport encountered hail during its approach to Gimpo Airport, damaging the cockpit and radome. There were no injuries.[73]
See also
- Transport in South Korea
- List of companies of South Korea
- List of airlines of South Korea
- List of airports in South Korea
- List of Asian airline holding companies
External links
References
- Asiana Airlines on ch-aviation.com ch-aviation.com, retrieved 21 November 2023^
- 대한항공, 12일 아시아나 자회사로 편입 Segye News, 12 December 2024^
- Asiana Airlines Sustainability Report 2015 Asiana Airlines, retrieved 30 August 2016^