News
Asiana launches premium economy
March 3rd 2017
Asiana Airlines on Monday officially announced the launch of its premium economy class, Economy Smartium. The new cabin class will be rolled out with the arrival of Asiana’s A350s, scheduled to begin next month. Read More » The Star Alliance member has 30 A350s on order.
Asiana will configure the XWBs with 28 business class, 36 ‘Economy Smartium’ and 247 economy seats. Economy Smartium will have 3-4 inches of extra legroom, much like United Airlines’ ‘Economy Plus’ section.
Asiana’s long-haul premium economy passengers will be offered business class lounge access, upgraded in-flight amenities and priority boarding.
Asiana said A350 passengers booked in economy class can upgrade to premium economy for US$60 each way on flights from South Korea to Southeast and Southwest Asia or US$150 each way from its home base to the U.S., Europe or Australia.
The airline will roster the A350 from Incheon to Osaka with a daily service and operate it six times a week between Incheon and Manila from May 15. The carrier’s ageing B777-200ERs, flying to London and San Francisco, will be replaced by the A350 in the second half of the year.
The carrier also announced this week that it will replace the 359-seater B747-400 with the 495-seater A380 on the daily Incheon-Frankfurt route from March 5, which will be an 38% capacity increase. Asiana said it made the decision as a result of strong demand on the route last year, with average loads of 90%.
Asiana has six A380s configured with 12 first class suites, 66 business and 417 economy seats. It also flies the very large jet to Los Angeles and New York.
It mended its bottom line in 2016 when it reversed a 139 billion won (US$122 million) 2015 loss to a 54 billion won profit last year, despite incurring damaging foreign exchange losses.
