The Korean start-up budget airline Air Premia hopes to fly between Seoul and Los Angeles, its spokesperson confirmed this week. The airline is scheduled to take delivery of a brand new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners in 2020 and hopes to start the route during 2021.
Air Premia spokesperson said, "The Los Angeles route has more demand than supply," and is a popular destination for Koreans as it is home to the largest community of Koreans outside of Koreans. The route has also seen a dramatic downturn in seats being offered, due to Singapore Airlines dropping the route and Korean Air downgauging aircraft.
The airline recently signed a long-term lease deal with Air Lease Corporation for three Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 1000-TEN engines. The first aircraft is scheduled to deliver in July 2020, followed by the second aircraft in September 2020, and the third in November 2020. In total, the carrier plans to operate ten 787-9 aircraft within five years.
“Air Premia has reached a critical milestone as a startup airline getting ready to launch a commercial flight next year in South Korea. We are pleased to embark on an initial flight operation with a trustworthy partner ALC, where the market presence is strong enough to fully support us to introduce our industry disruptive business model to the Northeast Asia market successfully,” said Dr Jong Chul Kim, Chief Executive Officer of Air Premia.
“We are honoured and excited to be providing Air Premia with the first three new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners on long-term lease from ALC,” said Steven F. Udvar-Hรกzy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation. “These new aircraft will offer advanced dimensions in comfort, service and affordability in the Korea marketplace, and will serve Air Premia’s route network efficiently with the latest technology long-range aircraft. ALC is proud of our business association with Air Premia and to contribute to the new airline’s success.”
Air Premia says it will configure the 787s with 56 seats in a premium economy class, with 253 seats in a standard economy class. The carrier combines low-seat-density strategy, 35-inch economy, and 42-inch premium economy, with high operational efficiency, single fleet and seat configuration, which allows the company to deliver the best-in-class comfortable seats and services at reasonable prices.
The first routes for the airline will be regional flights around Asia and then the long-haul flights will begin, which could include Cairns in Australia, Munich in Germany, Vancouver in Canada and Honolulu and Los Angeles in the United States of America.
Recommended for you...
