Asiana Airlines to Boost US Schedules

Asiana Airlines has confirmed that it is to increase frequencies on flights from Incheon International to San Francisco and Seattle later this month. As first reported by The HUB in January, the carrier is to add two further weekly flights to San Francisco from May 25, all operated using a Boeing 777-200ER, while a daily schedule will also be offered to Seattle, albeit on a seasonal basis from May 25 to September 17 measure to cater to the peak summer season in the US. At the same time Asiana will reschedule its existing three times weekly link to Chicago with the outbound leg leaving South Korea at 11:00 rather than 18:50, arriving in Chicago at 09:40. The return will then leave the windy city at 12:00 rather than 01:00, arriving in Incheon at 16:00 rather than 05:00.

An estimated 3.8 million O&D passengers travelled between South Korea and the US in the past year, up 16.8 per cent on the previous 12 months. Asiana holds a 29.4 per cent share of this market, positioning it as the second largest carrier between the two countries behind Korean Air, which holds a 43.0 per cent share.