Korean Air has confirmed it will be introducing a premium-economy product, as it look to configure 11 Boeing 777-300ERs with the yet-unveiled product.
Airline operating chief Jason Yoo confirms the retrofit programme will commence around the middle of the year, having been delayed “for some time” as a result of supply chain issues.
Yoo, who was speaking at an interview in Seoul, says he expects the retrofit to be complete by end-2026.
While the SkyTeam operator has not revealed the new seat configuration on the 777s, Yoo says the newly retrofitted 777s will have their first-class seats removed. Korean Air has eight first-class suites on each of its 777-300ERs.
The airline has picked Safran for its premium-economy seats, with the manufacturer also supplying its economy seats. Collins Aerospace is Korean’s supplier for the business-class seats.
Airline chief executive Walter Cho said at an 11 March briefing that the airline is also looking to configure future Airbus A350s and 777-9s with the premium-economy product.
The plan for a premium-economy class was first disclosed by Cho to Bloomberg in 2023, though at the time he had told the agency that Korean’s 787-10s would be fitted with the new product.
The new premium-economy seat adds to an already-crowded cabin product mix from the Korean national carrier. Yoo acknowledges that the number of cabin products will increase as Korean merges with Asiana Airlines in two years, but says that the airline will look at “simplification” in the long-term.
Yoo also echoed Cho’s comments that the airline will pursue “fleet simplification” once its integration with Asiana is complete. Among the aircraft types Yoo says the airline is looking to exit include A380s, 747-8s, A220s, as well as Asiana’s A320ceos.
Cho on 11 March said the airline is keeping its four-engined jets flying for longer as it faces delivery delays for newer aircraft. The A380s, for example, were to have started exiting the fleet this year.
