Premium and Segmented Economy Seats
Upcoming Notice on Changes to Seat Layout
Korean Air is beginning preparations to operate long-haul flights from the second half of the year that will eliminate first-class seats and add new 'Premium Economy' seats.
According to industry sources on the 28th, Korean Air recently added a note on its website's aircraft information section stating that the seat configurations for the B777-300ER (291 and 277 seats) and A380-888 (407 seats) will change for flights departing after May 1, 2025. These aircraft are deployed on routes to the Americas such as New York and San Francisco, as well as European routes like Paris, and currently operate first-class seats.
This follows Korean Air's recent announcement after unveiling its new corporate identity (CI) that it plans to remove first-class seats and introduce Premium Economy seats. Premium Economy offers more legroom than standard Economy seats, and services such as in-flight meals, baggage allowance, and boarding priority are provided at a Business Class level. The move is interpreted as targeting niche demand by eliminating the few and less in-demand first-class seats and upgrading the general seating.
In the airline industry, the trend of reducing first-class seats and segmenting Economy seats has been expanding over the past few years to improve profitability. Asiana Airlines eliminated all first-class seats in 2019, and among international carriers, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Lufthansa, and Air France operate Premium Economy seats.
Currently, Korean Air operates a total of 11 B777-300ER aircraft equipped with first-class seats. Korean Air will continue seat replacement work while establishing policies on pricing and service for seat operations. Additionally, customers whose seats are changed on departing flights will be offered options such as refunds or compensation for the fare difference. Korean Air stated, "We will strive to minimize customer inconvenience."
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