South Korean start-up SumAir has been awarded its business licence, moving it one step closer to becoming the country’s newest carrier.
The company, a subsidiary of Korean mobility firm MAAF (Mobility as a Freedom), intends to apply for its Air Operator Certificate “as soon as possible”.
If approved, it will be South Korea’s first ATR operator: SumAir states that it has already signed a lease agreement for a sole ATR 72-600 to be delivered in November, on top of an order for eight more -600s to be delivered “after 2026”.
SumAir will be based at Seoul’s Gimpo airport, mainly operating a regional network with its ATR turboprop fleet. Its initial network will include Pohang and Gyeongju in the west, as well as Sacheon in the south.
It is also looking to deploy the ATR on flights to the smaller islands around South Korea, such as Ulleungdo and Heuksando, which currently see no air services given its short runway.
SumAir’s website shows the airline has intentions to add international routes in the longer term, with flights to Mainland China - with cities like Qingdao and Yantai - and Japan on the cards.
The airline will be the country’s first regional operator after regulators revised the regulations for the small aircraft transportation business licence. In 2024, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport changed the number of seats under the licence from 50 to 80.
