A Korean Air aircraft takes off in this undated photo. Courtesy of Korean Air
Korean Air is stepping up its expansion of Japan-bound routes, aiming to capture an increase in demand and reinforce its profitability in a key market.
While increasing capacity on major routes, the airline is placing particular emphasis on expanding services to smaller regional cities in Japan, where competition remains limited.
Starting March 29, Korean Air will increase flights on the Incheon–Aomori route to five round-trips per week from three, operating daily except Tuesdays and Saturdays. It will be the first time since the route’s launch in 1995 that flights have been offered at this frequency.
The route will also see an aircraft upgrade to a mid-size jet with 182 seats, replacing the previous 158-seat plane to increase passenger capacity. The expansion follows strong demand on the Aomori route.
Korean Air exclusively operates the Aomori route, allowing it to maintain stable fares without the discount-price pressure seen on major routes such as Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka.
The Aomori route recorded an average seat occupancy rate of 82.6 percent last year, placing it among Korean Air’s more profitable services. Beyond Korean tourists, the route also attracts local outbound travelers who use Incheon as a convenient transfer hub for international flights.
By transiting through Incheon International Airport, passengers can connect seamlessly to long-haul routes to Southeast Asia, Europe and North America. By contrast, limited international service from many regional Japanese cities often forces travelers to shuttle between Tokyo’s Haneda and Narita airports when transferring from domestic to international flights.
The expanded service is expected to bolster Korean Air’s foothold in this niche market while advancing its broader strategy to position Incheon as Northeast Asia’s premier transit hub.
On its major routes, the airline increased flights on the Incheon–Narita route to five daily round-trips from four starting this month. The schedule runs through March 28, bringing the total number of daily flights between Tokyo and Seoul to nine, including the Gimpo–Haneda route.
The carrier is also expanding capacity on its Fukuoka route with temporary services. From Feb. 12 to Feb. 28, it will operate one additional daily round trip. Between March 1 and March 25, it plans to add extra flights three times a week — on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays — to meet rising demand for travel to the Kyushu region.
The latest additions build on the airline’s aggressive expansion under its winter peak-season flight schedule announced last September, which increased capacity on routes such as Jeju–Narita and Incheon–Nagasaki.
AloJapan.com