Air Seoul expanded its route offering this week by introducing Osaka Kansai (KIX) and Guam (GUM) to its Seoul Incheon (ICN) network

The former, which began on 12 September, will be flown by Air Seoul twice-daily, with it becoming the eighth carrier to link the 859-kilometre airport pair, with Jeju Airlines (31 weekly flights), Peach Aviation (28), Asiana Airlines (25), Korean Air (21), Eastar Jet (17), t’way air (17) and Jin Air (14) already serving the airport pair. The following day services to Guam were inaugurated. The 3,224-kilometre link will be flown by Air Seoul six times weekly according to OAG schedules, with it joining Jeju Airlines (21 weekly flights), Korean Air (14), Jin Air (7) and t’way air (7) on the sector. “To provide diversity to the customers, we have decided to launch a new route between Incheon and Guam because Guam is the most popular destination for Koreans,” stated Air Seoul President and CEO Ryu Kwang-hee at the launch. Both routes launched this week will be flown by Air Seoul on its fleet of A321s. As a result of Guam and Kansai becoming Air Seoul destinations, it now means that the carrier offers 12 routes from Incheon, with Hong Kong and Tokyo Narita the next planned destinations to join its network, with both expected to launch on 31 October.

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Air Seoul, which launched international services on 7 October, has added a further five destinations to its international network during the last week, starting on 18 October

Using a second A321 it has added three new routes to Japan, plus Kota Kinabalu (BKI) in Malaysia and Macau (MFM) all from its Seoul Incheon (ICN) base. None of the three Japanese routes, which are all under 700 kilometres in length, face any competition. However, three carriers already operate on the 3,658-kilometre route to Kota Kinabalu while four airlines already link Incheon with Macau.

Launched	From	To	Aircraft (WF)	Competition (WF)
18 October	Seoul Incheon (ICN)	Kota Kinabalu (BKI)	A321 (7)	Eastar Jet (7), Jin Air (7), Jeju Air (7)
		Nagasaki (NGS)	A321 (4)
20 October		Hiroshima (HIJ)	A321 (5)
22 October		Macau (MFM)	A321 (7)	Air Macau (14), Jin Air (7), t’way air (5), Jeju Air (2)
23 October		Yonago (YGJ)	A321 (3)
Source: anna.aero’s New Route Database. OAG Schedules Analyser for w/c 25 October 2016. WF = Weekly frequencies.

Air Seoul, a new LCC from Asiana Airlines, has begun operating international services from Seoul Incheon

On 7 October the carrier began serving Takamatsu (TAK) in Japan with thrice-weekly flights using an A321. The following day service was added to Shizuoka (FSZ) in Japan and Siem Reap (REP) in Cambodia. The new airline currently operates just a single A321 in its own colours, but two more aircraft are expected to be added to the fleet before the end of the month as further new destinations, primarily in Japan, will be added to the airline’s network. Air Seoul launched domestic flights between Seoul Gimpo and Jeju back in July with an A321 borrowed from its parent company and using Asiana’s OZ code. Air Seoul’s IATA code of RS is also currently used by Sky Regional Airlines of Canada, which operates services on behalf of Air Canada under the Air Canada Express banner.

Launched	From	To	Aircraft (WF)	Competition (WF)
7 October	Seoul Incheon (ICN)	Takamatsu (TAK)	A321 (3)
8 October		Shizuoka (FSZ)
		Siem Reap (REP)	A321 (4)	Eastar Jet (7), Korean Air (4)
Source: anna.aero’s New Route Database. OAG Schedules Analyser for w/c 11 October 2016. WF = Weekly frequencies.

South Korean LCC Air Seoul outlines planned int'l ops

Asiana Airlines (OZ, Seoul Inched) has outlined the initial routes it plans to transfer to its recently launched budget subsidiary, Air Seoul (ASV, Seoul Incheon), with effect from winter of this year.


In line with its original mandate, to assume Asiana's unprofitable short-haul international routes, Air Seoul will begin Seoul Incheon to Shizuoka and Takamatsu flights with effect from October 7. Flights to Nagasaki and Ube will follow shortly afterwards along with Macau Int'l and several undisclosed Asiana destinations in Cambodia and Malaysia.

The LCC currently operates one A321-200, leased from Asiana, on shuttle flights between Seoul Gimpo and the island of Jeju.

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Air Seoul could secure AOC next month

Air Seoul (ASV, Seoul Incheon) could secure its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) from the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) as early as next month.

A MOLIT official told The Korea Times that a paper-based screening of the start-up's plans would be concluded this week following which in-site inspections of its facilities and operational capabilities would be undertaken. Assuming all goes according to plan, the agency expects to be in a position to issue the Asiana Airlines (OZ, Seoul Incheon) subsidiary its AOC in mid-July.


Air Seoul has itself set a tentative launch date of mid-October given the drawn-out process of securing international traffic rights.

The LCC will initially assume an undisclosed number of Asiana Airlines' domestic routes before assuming its less profitable international services including select destinations in China, Japan, and other South East Asian countries. Operations will be on-board a trio of A321-200s leased from Asiana.

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