Loading
Recorded at CAPA LCCs In North Asia, 7-8 Jun 2016

Jin Air Update

Jin Air is Korea's first dual-brand LCC. Cooperation with parent Korean Air has grown. Jin Air is also Northeast Asia's first widebody LCC operator. Jin Air will grow its all-Boeing fleet to 22 aircraft by July. Partnerships are growing as Jin Air expands its network.

Transcript

Emily Cho:So Jin Air, we are a hybrid airline, but I like to call ourselves the boutique airline of North Asia. We are 8 years old and we are a subsidiary of Korean Air, but we only want you to remember that when you think about safety because we have Korean Air's level of safety standards and maintenance. We're a fun airline. We wear jeans, like our name, and we fly to a total of 30 cities, 3 domestic, 26 international, and we have about 22 planes. And we also fly— we're the only Asian Korean carrier that flies to Hawaii, and we're the only one that does long-haul flights. So we have 20 737s and 3 777s. And so a total of 22 by July. We like our Boeings, but we also like Airbus. So we're expanding our fleet, but then the exact numbers, what we're planning to do, hasn't been confirmed yet. Thanks to our big brother Korean Air, we actually have started codeshare with Korean Air in 2015. But we also have interline agreements with Jetstar Group and Vietjet and Island Air in Hawaii. And we're also expanding our interline and network partnerships with other airlines in Asia. But for now, we are working on expanding our own network because we are focused on our domestic market. At the same time, we are also expanding our market share in foreign markets, so letting people know outside of Korea the name Jin Air and making us a fun airline for everyone to take. Well, basically, like everyone else, we want lower fees and lower— bringing down the cost is very important. And I think the one drawback that Asian low-cost carriers have is that unlike, for example, the U.S., we don't have minor airports that we can fly into. So we're using the big hubs like Incheon or Narita, which it's not easy for the airports themselves to lower fees just for the low-cost carriers. So we want to— we want them to be more friendly to low-cost carriers. But at the same time, we respect their relationships, and we respect them as a big and important airport. So I don't know, I should be more demanding, but I guess I'm too— I mean, I do both Korean Air and Jin Air, so that's my position.

Want More News Like This?

CAPA Membership provides access to all news and analysis on the site, along with access to many areas of our comprehensive databases and toolsets.
Find Out More