① New domestic airline
Air Premia is a low-cost airline that is a new domestic airline. It aims to be a long-haul specialist, operating only international flights from Incheon.
Air Premia’s regular flights include Los Angeles, New York, Frankfurt, Bangkok, and Tokyo. It will also launch new routes to Honolulu in the U.S. It operates irregular flights to Barcelona in Spain and plans to launch irregular flights to Dhaka in Bangladesh. According to aviation media, it is also considering launching routes to San Francisco.
Air Premia officially launched on the Gimpo-Jeju route on August 11, 2021. On October 30 of the same year, it ceased domestic operations and moved its aircraft from Gimpo to Incheon to prepare for international operations.
Air Premia currently owns five Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with seating configurations of 309 seats for three aircraft and 338 seats for two aircraft. In the first half of next year, Air Premia plans to introduce two more 787-9 Dreamliners and two more in the second half, increasing its fleet to a total of nine aircraft. It is reportedly expanding its European routes with new flights to Paris, France, and Rome, Italy.
The airline promotes an HSC (Hybrid Service Carrier) strategy, offering reasonably priced premium seats. While it does not offer first or business class, it does offer premium economy seats. Air Premia is popular with passengers for its new aircraft and spacious seat spacing.
In August, the airline reportedly changed its catering company and upgraded its in-flight meals to improve passenger satisfaction with in-flight services.
② Spacious seat spacing and service
Air Premia’s seats are configured with Economy 35 and Premia 42. Economy 35 boasts the world’s widest 35-inch seat spacing. The seat spacing for Korean Air and Asiana’s economy class is 32-24 inches.
The seat spacing for most low-cost airlines is 29-31 inches. The seat is made of fabric. Notably, free beverages and in-flight meals are provided even in economy seats. However, this excludes short-haul routes of less than four hours.
Premia 42 is Air Premia’s top-tier premium economy class. The seat spacing for this class is 42 inches, allowing passengers to stretch their legs and enjoy a comfortable flight due to the generous seat spacing. All routes offer free beverages and in-flight meals for passengers in Premia 42.
Air Premia offers a variety of entertainment options, including movies, music, and dramas, through a FULL HD high-resolution 12-inch touchscreen. As a new aircraft, it offers a cleaner and larger screen, making it convenient for passengers to use the entertainment facilities.
The window brightness can be adjusted from level 1 to 5. You are provided with amenities if you are in a Premia 42 seat. These include a cosmetic set containing hand cream, oil mist, lip balm, etc. A dental kit is available in the dedicated restroom, and sleep aids such as eye masks and earplugs are provided upon request.
Wi-Fi is also available on board. The usage time is 24 hours, with data capacity ranging from 30-300MB, and the usage fee ranges from $6.95-$45.95.
In-flight meals offer a variety of menus, including Korean, Western, and local dishes. They are prepared using carefully selected ingredients in new prototype dishes made for the environment.
③ Downsides of Air Premia
There has been criticism that Air Premia is excessively expanding its destinations compared to the number of aircraft it owns. It currently owns five aircraft, but the number of scheduled destinations, including irregular flights, reaches nine. Excessive expansion of destinations has led to delays, such as the Incheon <-> LA flight being delayed on May 24. As a result, the airline delayed the YP131 flight to New York by 10 hours, the YP651 flight to Ho Chi Minh City by 2 hours, and the YP132 flight by 5 hours.
It is difficult to solve the problem by sending a replacement aircraft as it operates longer distances than other low-cost airline routes, excluding Tokyo and Bangkok. In the past, when a collision occurred with Lao Airlines, it could not provide its own aircraft and provided an Asiana Airlines replacement flight.
Although Air Premia is a low-cost airline, there have been many cases where its ticket prices were more expensive than Korean Air or Asiana Airlines. Despite boasting spacious seat spacing, the seat spacing of the used aircraft it introduced is 32 inches, which is narrower than that of Korean Air or Asiana Airlines in some cases.
By. Han Mia
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