Asiana Airlines


Asiana Airlines Inc. is a major flag carrier and the only 5-star rated airline in South Korea. The airline's global headquarters is located in the capital city, Seoul. In 2019, it accounted for a 25% share of the international market and a 20% share of the domestic market. The airline has its international hub at the world-class Seoul Incheon International Airport and its domestic hub at Gimpo International Airport and Gimhae International Airport.
As a member of Star Alliance, it operates 90 international passenger routes, 14 domestic and 27 cargo routes throughout Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania. As of December 2014, the company employs 10,183 people. The majority of Asiana's pilots, ground staff and flight attendants are based in Seoul. Asiana Airlines is the largest shareholder in Air Busan, a low-cost regional carrier joint venture with Busan Metropolitan City. The airline also holds 100% share of Air Seoul, a subsidiary and its own low-cost carrier.

History

Founding

, which was acquired by Hanjin Transportation in 1969, had a monopoly on the South Korean airline industry until the establishment of Asiana in 1988. 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 who wanted to compete. It was formed by the Kumho Asiana 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 private investors, Kumho Industrial, Kumho Petrochemical, foreign investors, Korea Development Bank and others.

Beginning regular service

Asiana began operations in December 1988, using Boeing 737 Classic aircraft, with flights to Busan and Gwangju. In 1989, Asiana began regular services to Jeju City, Gwangju, and Daegu and later the same year, Asiana began international chartered flights to Sendai in Japan.
In 1990, Asiana began its first scheduled international services, to the Japanese cities of Tokyo, Nagoya, Sendai and Fukuoka. In the same year, Asiana had nine Boeing 747-400s, ten Boeing 767-300s and eight Boeing 737-400s. In early 1991, Asiana began services to Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taipei. Transpacific flights to Los Angeles began in December 1991 with a Boeing 747-400 Combi. Services to Vienna, Brussels and Honolulu began in the mid-1990s. In 1993, Asiana began services to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

Expansion as global carrier and joining Star Alliance

Asiana Airlines has rapidly expanded since its establishment in 1988 to become a mid-sized global carrier with a current fleet of 85 aircraft. In December 1998, the airline operated an aircraft on behalf of the president of South Korea for the first time. The airline was listed in KOSDAQ In December 1999. On 28 January 2003, the airline became a full Star Alliance member, expanding its worldwide network and global brand. In 2004, the airline added Airbus A330s and the Boeing 777-200ERs to its fleet, and expanded its routes into mainland China. Currently it provides international services to 71 cities in 23 countries on 91 routes and domestic services to 12 cities on 14 routes. It also provides international cargo services to 29 cities in 14 countries on 28 routes by Asiana Cargo, the airline's freight division. In 2012, the airline had net sales of US$5.3 billion.

New corporate identity

In February 2006, Asiana Airlines modernized its corporate identity for unification with those of other divisions of its parent company the Kumho Asiana Group. The names of the travel classes have changed from First Class, Business Class, and Economy Class to First, Business, and Travel classes respectively, and the colors of the travel classes have changed to yellow, blue and red for First, Business, and Travel Class, respectively. New uniforms were also created for the crew.

Notable achievements

Asiana began to focus on being an environmentally friendly company in the mid-1990s and has put its efforts ever since in this regard, such as completely banning in-flight smoking and cigarette sales in 1995. The company was awarded first in class certification by the International Organization for Standardization for meeting criteria ISO 14001 in 1996. In 2001, Asiana Airlines was recognized for being the "first environmentally friendly company within the service industry" by the South Korean Ministry of Environment. Some of Asiana's other environmentally minded programs include an emissions measurement and reduction system; reducing pollution from ground facilities; and partnering with the Rainforest Alliance for coffee served on board.
Airline of the Year Awards:
In 2009, Air Transport World awarded Asiana the "Airline of the Year" award, a coveted and one of the most honorable awards in the airline industry.
In 2010, Asiana Airlines was named 'Airline of the Year' by Skytrax at the 2010 World Airline Awards.
In 2011, Global Traveller awarded the airline '2011 Airline of the Year' and the top airliner in six other categories.
In 2012, Business Traveller awarded the airline '2012 Best Overall Airline in the World'.
With these achievements attained over four consecutive years, Asiana Airlines is recognised as a 'Golden Grand Slam Airline'. This achievement marks a new record and standard, achieved by any airline for the first time. Apart from this prestigious title, the company has received the Best Airline for Onboard Service and Flight Attendants for 8 consecutive years, among other awards.
Asiana Airlines is rated as a "5 Star" airline by Skytrax.

Financial crisis

In April 2019, Asiana Airlines parent company, Kumho Asiana Group announced that they plan on selling Asiana Airlines as a solution to its financial crisis.
Sale of Asiana Airlines began on July 2019. On June 2019, Aekyung Group, the parent company of Korea Low Cost Carrier Jeju Air, is considered as a strong candidate to take over. Korean Air's parent company, Hanjin Group, and SK Group are also considering taking over.
Moreover, Asiana Airlines has ended unprofitable routes throughout July 2019 to October 2019. Routes discontinued include Seoul–Incheon to Chicago–O'Hare, Delhi, Khabarovsk and Sakhalinsk.
On 25 July 2019, Kumho Asiana Group, the parent company of Asiana Airlines officially announces their intention to sell Asiana Airlines for an estimated price of 1.5 trillion won to 2 trillion won. Asiana Airlines includes subsidiaries Air Busan, Air Seoul, Asiana IDT and other subsidiary companies. Subsequent due diligence is expected to be carried out and the main bidding is expected to begin as early as October or November. AeKyeong Group, the parent company of Korean low-cost carrier Jeju Air, has expressed interest in acquiring Asiana Airlines.
On 4 September 2019, Aekyung Group, Mirae Asset Daewoo and KCGI applied a letter of intent to acquire Asiana Airlines. On 12 November, a consortium of HDC Hyundai Development Company and Mirae Asset Daewoo was selected as the preferred bidder.
In addition, Asiana Airlines has chosen to retire older aircraft include Boeing 747-400 and Boeing 767-300, allowing the airline to reduce debt and weakness.
In July 2020, HDC Hyundai Development Company received approval from Russian authorities for its acquisition of Asiana Airlines.

Corporate affairs

The airline has its global headquarters in Seoul at the Asiana Town in Osoe-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. The airline's head office moved from Hoehyeon-dong, Jung District to Asiana Town in Osoe-dong on 1 April 1998.

Destinations

Asiana Airlines serves destinations on four 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 a number of gateway cities in North America and Europe while retaining a 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 own low-cost carrier, based in Incheon International Airport, and transfer some of its unprofitable routes to the subsidiary from November 2016.

Codeshare agreements

Asiana Airlines codeshares with the following airlines:

Current fleet

, the Asiana Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft:

Retired fleet

The company has previously operated the following aircraft:
AircraftTotalIntroducedRetiredReplacementNotes
Boeing 737-4002219882013Airbus A320 family
Boeing 737-400419882013Airbus A320 familyTransferred to subsidiary Air Busan.
Boeing 737-500319922008Airbus A320 family
Boeing 737-500319922008Airbus A320 familyTransferred to subsidiary Air Busan.
Boeing 737-500119921993-Crashed as flight OZ733
Boeing 747-400M619912017Airbus A350 XWB
Boeing 767-300ER919912006Airbus A330-300

In-flight services

Asiana Airlines offers five classes of services – First Suite class, First Class, Business Smartium class, Business class and Travel class. Seat configurations and in-flight entertainment systems vary by the type of the aircraft and its operating routes
First Suite class is offered on A380-800, which is serviced on routes to Los Angeles, New York City, Sydney and Frankfurt. Old First Class is available on Boeing 747-400s. Both First Suite and old First Class were available on Boeing 777s, but was later removed in favor of a two-class configuration. Passengers in these classes are offered pajamas, souvenirs and "amenity kits" containing items such as skin cream, toothpaste, eye shades and earplugs. A passenger can pre-order in-flight meals 48 hours prior to departure. First class seats are equipped with personal AVOD systems.
Besides those routes, most of Asiana's international flights offer two type 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 by 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 Boeing 767 and A330, but some of the A330 is equipped with newly furbished cocoon seats. Most of Asiana's Travel class seats also have television or video systems. AVOD is installed on many of the aircraft and business class is fully equipped with new AVODs. In-flight entertainment systems are not offered on domestic routes, which consist of flights of an hour or less.
Asiana offers two in-flight magazines, Asiana and Asiana Entertainment.

Frequent-flyer program

Asiana Club is Asiana Airline's frequent-flyer program, formerly Asiana Bonus Club. Asiana Club has five tiers: Silver, Gold, Diamond, Diamond Plus and Platinum. To acquire or maintain each tier, members are required to accrue 0, 20000, 40000, 100000 miles in two calendar years from the 'reference date'. Status miles are based on 'On-board mileage', which includes miles accumulated by traveling with Asiana Airlines or Star Alliance airlines. Also, members can accrue miles by flying 'partner airlines' such as Qatar Airways. Miles accumulated in the program entitle members to bonus tickets, class upgrades and other products and services such as dining at Outback Steakhouse.

Partners

Asiana Club Miles can be collected on all flights operated by Star Alliance member airlines, as well as Air Astana, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways.

Marketing

Asiana has endorsement deals with the following: