Korean Air will launch a three times weekly flight between Incheon International Airport near Seoul and London Gatwick in April, supplementing its existing daily service to London Heathrow. The airline’s arrival at London’s second airport, revealed by The HUB earlier this year, continues a strong growth in the Asian market for the facility: AirAsia X and Vietnam Airlines launched flights in November and December last year, respectively, and Hong Kong Airlines and Air China will also introduce services in 2012.
The South Korean flag carrier will use a Boeing 777-300ER on the new route, which will commence on April 28, 2012. The aircraft will be configured in a 261-seat, three-class configuration with capacity for eight First Class, 28 Business Class (Prestige) and 225 Economy passengers.
“We are very excited to welcome Korean Air to Gatwick. South Korea remains one of Asia’s fastest growing economies and an important growth market for the UK. It is critical therefore that the UK has strong connections to this country and we are pleased that the airline has chosen to grow its London-Seoul route from Gatwick,” said Guy Stephenson, Chief Operating Officer, Gatwick Airport.
Korean Air currently utilises a Boeing 747-400 on its flights to London Heathrow. In the past year an estimated 314,000 O&D passengers travelled between London Heathrow and Seoul Incheon, a route also served by Asiana Airlines. This represents a 13.1 per cent increase over the previous 12 month period.
Although entering a new market, Korean Air says its growth at London Gatwick will not mean there will not be further expansion at London’s largest gateway. The carrier is already planning to introduce reconfigured 747-400s onto the route this summer, increasing capacity by around 15 per cent, while it has not ruled out using future Airbus A380 deliveries to support capacity growth into the UK capital.
The additional London Gatwick frequencies have been scheduled to offer new options to passengers. The flight will depart London in the late morning and arrive in Seoul in the early morning, a popular option for business travellers. However, the airline also expects a strong leisure demand with the flight’s timing offering passengers the opportunity to fly into Gatwick ahead of its departure and connect on tother destinations from Seoul.
“We are pleased to announce our UK route frequency increase with the introduction of London’s Gatwick Airport. In addition to increasing the choice for our business travellers, we also look forward to welcoming leisure passengers looking to travel to Asia and beyond,” said Jeong Soo Park, General Manager of Korean Air’s London Office. “This expansion reflects our ongoing commitment to providing convenient flight times and access to South Korea, as well as onward connections to South East Asia and Australasia.”
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