Aero K Takes First Flight on Cheongju-Jeju Route... "Soaring as a Central Region Hub Airline"

Kang Byung-ho, CEO of Aero K (second from the left), is taking a commemorative photo with passengers along with employees on the 15th to celebrate the inaugural regular flight of the Cheongju-Jeju route.

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] Aero K, a newly established low-cost carrier (LCC) based at Cheongju International Airport, commenced its first flight on the 15th.

Aero K launched its domestic service with flight RF601 on the Cheongju~Jeju route at 7:45 a.m. that day. The aircraft deployed for the scheduled flight is an Airbus A320 model introduced in February last year, featuring 180 seats. The company has leased a total of three A320ceo aircraft from Carlyle Aviation.

Aero K plans to operate the Cheongju~Jeju route three times daily, with one round trip in the morning and two in the afternoon. Starting with domestic routes on this day, the airline intends to expand its international routes to Northeast Asia, including China, Taiwan, Japan, and Vietnam. Previously, in December last year, it received an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Aero K is the first domestic LCC to adopt Airbus's cloud-based aviation data platform, 'Skywise Core.' This platform is expected to reduce bottlenecks occurring during aircraft operations and maximize the efficiency of aircraft utilization and flight operations, thereby having a positive impact on the future of aviation operations.

However, Cheongju Airport currently hosts five airlines operating the Jeju route, including major carriers such as Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, as well as Jeju Air, Jin Air, and T'way Air, which is expected to intensify competition for passenger attraction in the future.

Kang Byung-ho, CEO of Aero K, said on-site, "The first scheduled flight from Cheongju Airport has just taken off vigorously," adding, "We sincerely thank the residents of Chungbuk Province for their support and will definitely overcome the (COVID-19) crisis to become a key airline in the central region."