Air Busan

Asiana to focus over medium term on expansion of long-haul network and fleet

Asiana Airlines has unveiled a new medium-term business plan which envisions capacity and fleet growth of 25% over the next four years as the South Korean carrier aims to break into the top 10 global airline rankings. Asiana plans to focus over the medium term on expanding its relatively small long-haul network as opportunities for short-haul expansion become more limited due to bilateral constraints and increasing competition from LCCs.

Asiana’s medium-term fleet plan includes 17 additional aircraft, taking the fleet from 71 aircraft currently to 83 aircraft by the end of 2013 and 88 by the end of 2015. Narrowbody passenger, widebody passenger and freighter aircraft will all be added over the next four years. But the biggest capacity growth will be seen in the widebody passenger segment, which will grow from 32 to 40 aircraft.

The additional widebodies, including six A380s, are designed to give Asiana an opportunity to build up its long-haul network and close the gap with its Asian peers, which have much bigger operations in North America and Europe.

LCC penetration in domestic South Korean market reaches new highs but at what cost?

South Korea’s five major LCCs held an aggregate domestic market share of 42.3% in 3Q2011 in the third quarter of 2011, up from the 40.3% in the six months to Jun-2011 (1H2011), which itself was a new record for LCC penetration in the North Asian nation. This penetration, as confirmed by South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, marks a significant rise from a combined market share of just 9.7% three years ago.

However, profitable growth remains a continued challenge for South Korea’s LCCs. In 2008, two LCCs in the market, namely Hansung Airline and Yeongnam Air, collapsed amid challenges economic conditions, high fuel costs, a weakened Korean won and funding challenges amid the global economic financial crisis. Among those left standing, losses were heavy, with the nation’s four LCCs in 2009 – EastarJet, Jeju Air, Jin Air and Air Busan, reporting combined losses in excess of USD55 million in 2009.

LCCs in Japan, Korea and China. Massive growth potential to be realised in the next decade

The second decade of the 21st century will see low cost airlines arrive on a massive scale in North Asia. The region has not seen significant low cost airline entry to date – one of the few parts of the world to have missed the phenomenon. It is a major anomaly in this respect, because the geography, economy and demography of the three neighbouring countries of Japan, South Korea and China offer near-ideal conditions for LCC growth.