Korean Air Premium Class Launch Raises Economy Comfort Concerns

dailyblitz.de 4 hours ago

SEOUL- Korean Air (KE) has introduced a new premium class on its Boeing 777-300ER fleet, sparking debate over passenger comfort. The changes will first appear on routes from Incheon International Airport (ICN), with the inaugural service planned to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN).

The airline’s cabin retrofit, which adds a Premium Class between economy and business, has come under scrutiny. While fares are set about 110% higher than economy, critics point to tighter seating in standard economy as a trade-off for the upgrade.

Photo: Korean Air

Korean Air Premium Class Launch

Korean Air’s retrofit program adds 40-seat Premium Class in an 8-abreast (2-4-2) layout across 11 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

The new class promises improved interiors, enhanced services, and additional legroom compared with economy. However, the economy section has been reconfigured from 3-3-3 to a denser 3-4-3 layout.

This redesign adds 21 seats but reduces seat width from 18.1 inches to 17.1 inches (46 cm to 43.5 cm).

Consumer advocates argue that this structural shift places more costs on travelers while compromising comfort.

Reported to the Korean Herald, Citizens United for Consumer Sovereignty criticized the move, citing the growing average body size of passengers and labeling the narrower seats as inadequate for modern travel needs.

Photo: Korean Air

Disputed Comfort Claims

Korean Air promotes Premium Class as offering 1.5 times the space of economy, but advocacy groups dispute this.

Based on independent analysis, the actual space increase is closer to 1.35–1.37 times. Critics argue that this exaggeration downplays the real impact of the reduced economic width.

The airline defends the decision, noting that 18 of the world’s top 25 carriers use the same 3-4-3 configuration on Boeing 777-300ERs.

Korean Air also highlights thinner seat cushioning, upgraded in-flight entertainment, and onboard Wi-Fi as features that maintain overall service quality despite the denser layout.

Photo: By Hyeonwoo Noh – http://www.airliners.net/photo/Asiana-Airlines/Airbus-A380-841/2505314/L/, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44772783

Regulatory Oversight and Merger Conditions

Korean Air’s merger with Asiana Airlines (OZ) in 2022 was conditionally approved by South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC). The agreement restricted seat reductions, fare hikes beyond inflation, and changes to frequent flyer programs on 40 key routes.

Although the new 3-4-3 configuration raises questions of compliance, the FTC clarified that no penalties apply yet because the retrofitted aircraft are not deployed on protected routes.

Officials stated they will continue monitoring route assignments, fare adjustments, and passenger impact before deciding on further action.

Photo: BriYYZ | Flickr

Rollout Timeline and Routes

The upgraded aircraft will enter service on September 17, debuting on the Incheon (ICN) to Singapore (SIN) route.

This route is not among the FTC-protected list, giving Korean Air flexibility in the rollout. The airline confirmed the retrofitted jets will avoid designated routes to comply with regulatory guidelines.

Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.

Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News

Korean Air Adds New Premium Economy on Boeing 777-300ER Fleet

The post Korean Air Premium Class Launch Raises Economy Comfort Concerns appeared first on Aviation A2Z.

Read Entire Article