Operating 5 Routes with 3 Aircraft... The Precarious Situation of Air Premia

Two Aircraft Under Maintenance, Operations to San Francisco Begin
Even with Return Next Week, 4 Out of 5 Routes
Additional Aircraft Only in Second Half... "At Least One Aircraft Per Route Needed"

Air Premia, a hybrid airline (HSC) strengthening its long-haul routes, is being criticized for operating on an excessively 'tightrope' basis. This is because, despite focusing on long-haul routes, the number of aircraft per route is less than one.

According to industry sources on the 15th, Air Premia will start operating the San Francisco route in the United States on the 17th. This is the fifth route following New York (Newark Airport), Los Angeles, Bangkok in Thailand, and Tokyo (Narita Airport) in Japan. However, out of the five Boeing 787-9 aircraft in its entire fleet, only three are currently operational.

Of the remaining two aircraft, one (HL8517) is currently undergoing maintenance at Shanghai Airport in China. This aircraft experienced issues last month on the 29th while heading to Tokyo Narita Airport, where a pressurization problem caused oxygen masks to deploy, forcing a return after one hour. In December last year, it also canceled flights for two consecutive days due to engine oil leakage in Bangkok, Thailand. The HL8516 aircraft, which has been under maintenance since February, is expected to be deployed starting next week. Until this weekend, the airline will operate five routes with three aircraft. An Air Premia official stated, "HL8516 will be deployed next week," and added, "The San Francisco operation will proceed without issues."

Earlier this month, Air Premia adjusted eight schedules on routes including Incheon~Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Tokyo. On the 2nd and 3rd, flights to Bangkok and Los Angeles were delayed. Typically, when flights are delayed or canceled for a long time, airlines refund or change tickets or provide alternative flights. However, Air Premia lacks sufficient aircraft and mainly operates long-haul routes exceeding 10 hours, so it has limited capacity to respond. During the December cancellation in Bangkok, Thailand, it had to rent a charter flight from Korean Air.

Air Premia plans to add two more aircraft in the second half of this year, but it will be difficult to avoid criticism for operating on an excessively 'tightrope' basis due to the current shortage of aircraft. An industry insider explained, "Even on the Gimpo~Jeju route, which has a flight time of about one hour, one aircraft makes about four round trips on average," and added, "Considering various flight maintenance such as aircraft servicing, at least one aircraft per route is necessary for stable operation on long-haul routes."