# Air Seoul

Air Seoul (Korean: 에어서울) is a South Korean low-cost carrier and a subsidiary of Asiana Airlines. The airline is based at Incheon International Airport just outside of Seoul, from which it operates flights to international destinations. It launched operations on 11 July 2016.

## History

Since early 2014, Asiana Airlines had considered launching a second low-cost carrier (LCC) in addition to Air Busan. It initially faced difficulties in proceeding with the project because of the Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crash in July 2013. Asiana has only a minority 46% stake in Air Busan, while it has a controlling stake in Air Seoul. Air Busan is based in Busan, which has allowed other LCCs such as Jin Air and Jeju Air to fill the Seoul market; Air Seoul is based in Seoul. The goals of Air Seoul are to strengthen Asiana's competition with other South Korean LCCs and to improve Asiana's performance in certain markets, such as secondary Japanese cities.
The airline was established on 7 April 2015. In June 2016, Air Seoul operated trial flights within South Korea. On 5 July 2016, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced it had granted Air Seoul its air operator's certificate. Flights between Seoul–Gimpo and Jeju commenced on 11 July. The airline started flights to Japan in October 2016, its first international routes and has since moved to become a purely international airline.
On 7 November 2016, Air Seoul announced that it had collaborated with Naver WEBTOON to produce a safety video. Some of the works featured in this video include Denma, The Sound of Heart, and Noblesse. Air Seoul began offering an in-flight magazine entitled Your Seoul to passengers in January 2017. The magazine advertises the tourist attractions in the airline's hub city, Seoul. In 2018, it carried 1.7 million passengers in 2018, up by 109% from 2017.
On 21 March 2019, Air Seoul with collaboration of Naver WEBTOON's LICO introduced a new in-flight safety video. Air Seoul is the first Korean airline to produce an in-flight safety video based on 3D animation created using LICO's character "Hwang-goo". On 7 October 2019, Air Seoul launched an in-flight entertainment service named "Cinema in the Sky'. On 16 December 2019, Air Seoul launched a Hanoi – Seoul route. The airline has confirmed that Tam Vuong had become an official representative of Air Seoul in Vietnam.
In 2023, the airline achieved its best-ever performance, with revenue of $310.9 billion and operating profit of $64.4 billion. Its operating profit margin was also the highest among domestic airlines.
As a result of merger with Korean Air, the airline, as well as parent company Air Busan will be integrated with Jin Air, Korean Air's subsidiary.

## Corporate affairs

Air Seoul is a fully owned subsidiary of Asiana Airlines. Its headquarters are located in the Kumho Asiana Main Tower in Seoul, and its chief executive officer is Cho Jin-man. On 1 January 2018, Air Seoul inaugurated its new chief executive officer, formerly Ryu Kwang-hee.
On 1 January 2021, Air Seoul appointed its new chief executive officer prior to Asiana Airlines acquisition, replacing Cho Kyu-yung.

## Destinations

As of March 2025, Air Seoul flies the following destinations:
Air Seoul destinations :
| Country | City | Airport | Notes |
| Cambodia | Siem Reap | Siem Reap International Airport | Airport Closed |
| China | Hong Kong | Hong Kong International Airport | Terminated |
| China | Linyi | Linyi Qiyang International Airport | |
| China | Macau | Macau International Airport | Terminated |
| China | Yantai | Yantai Penglai International Airport | |
| China | Zhangjiajie | Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport | |
| Guam | Hagåtña | Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport | |
| Japan | Fukuoka | Fukuoka Airport | |
| Japan | Hiroshima | Hiroshima Airport | Terminated |
| Japan | Kumamoto | Kumamoto Airport | |
| Japan | Nagasaki | Nagasaki Airport | |
| Japan | Naha | Naha Airport | Terminated |
| Japan | Osaka | Kansai International Airport | |
| Japan | Sapporo | New Chitose Airport | |
| Japan | Shizuoka | Shizuoka Airport | Terminated |
| Japan | Takamatsu | Takamatsu Airport | |
| Japan | Tokyo | Narita International Airport | |
| Japan | Toyama | Toyama Airport | Terminated |
| Japan | Ube | Yamaguchi Ube Airport | Terminated |
| Japan | Yonago | Yonago Kitaro Airport | |
| Malaysia | Kota Kinabalu | Kota Kinabalu International Airport | |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Saipan | Saipan International Airport | |
| Philippines | Kalibo | Kalibo International Airport | Terminated |
| Philippines | Tagbilaran | Bohol–Panglao International Airport | |
| South Korea | Busan | Gimhae International Airport | Terminated |
| South Korea | Cheongju | Cheongju International Airport | Terminated |
| South Korea | Jeju | Jeju International Airport | |
| South Korea | Seoul | Gimpo International Airport | |
| South Korea | Seoul | Incheon International Airport | Hub |
| Vietnam | Da Nang | Da Nang International Airport | |
| Vietnam | Hanoi | Noi Bai International Airport | |
| Vietnam | Nha Trang | Cam Ranh International Airport | |

## Fleet
### Current fleet

As of July 2023, Air Seoul operates the following aircraft:
Air Seoul fleet :
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers |
| Airbus A321-200 | 6 | — |
| Airbus A321-200 | 6 | — | 195 |
| Airbus A321-200 | 6 | — | 220 |
| Total | 6 | — | |

### Retired fleet

Air Seoul had operated the following aircraft:
Air Seoul retired fleet :
| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
| Airbus A321-200 | 3 | 2017 | 2021 | Former Asiana Airlines aircraft |