Air Seoul

Air Seoul, founded in 2015 as a low-cost carrier subsidiary of Asiana Airlines, operates from Incheon International Airport to strengthen competition against South Korean LCCs like Jin Air and Jeju Air, particularly in the Seoul market and secondary Japanese cities. Initial challenges post the 2013 Asiana Flight 214 crash delayed launch, but it commenced domestic operations in July 2016, followed by international routes to Japan in October. The airline transitioned to international-only services, expanding to destinations in Southeast Asia, Guam, and the Philippines. Distinctive features include collaborations with Naver WEBTOON for innovative safety videos (first Korean airline with 3D animation in 2019), an in-flight magazine promoting Seoul tourism (2017), and "Cinema in the Sky" entertainment (2019). It achieved significant growth, carrying 1.7 million passengers in 2018 (up 109% from 2017) and record 2023 financials with 310.9 billion won revenue and 64.4 billion won profit. As a fully owned Asiana entity, it benefits from parent coordination while maintaining LCC efficiency. Post-Korean Air–Asiana merger, integration with Jin Air is planned. Its focus on mid-haul international routes, cultural integrations, and high profitability margin sets it apart in South Korea's competitive aviation sector.