Jeju Air: "Premium Economy Seats Mainly Used by Customers in Their 30s and 40s"

44,000 Passengers Used Business Lite Last Year, Up 19% from Previous Year
Best Value and Satisfaction... Southeast Asia Routes Account for 46%

Jeju Air's premium economy seat, "Business Lite," is primarily used by customers in their 30s and 40s.

Jeju Air Business Lite seat view. Photo by Jeju Air

On April 22, Jeju Air announced the results of its analysis of last year's passengers by age group. The largest proportion of Business Lite customers were in their 30s (22.2%) and 40s (22.1%). This was followed by customers in their 50s (18.6%), 20s (12.2%), and 60s (11.7%).

By region, Southeast Asia accounted for 46% of total usage, making it the most popular destination. Japan followed with 37%, and Oceania accounted for 13.6%.

Jeju Air introduced the Business Lite seat in July 2019. The seat is wider than a standard economy seat but is more affordable than a business class seat. Some seats were changed from the existing "3-3" layout (three seats on each side of the aisle) to a "2-2" layout (two seats on each side of the aisle), increasing the distance between rows. Benefits include priority check-in at a dedicated counter, 30kg free checked baggage, expedited baggage claim service, as well as in-flight meals and amenities.

Currently, Jeju Air operates Business Lite seats on routes such as Incheon-Tokyo (Narita), Incheon-Osaka, Incheon-Sapporo, Busan-Tokyo (Narita), Incheon-Bohol, Incheon-Clark, Incheon-Bali, Incheon-Batam, Incheon-Singapore, and Busan-Singapore. The total number of Business Lite passengers last year was approximately 44,000, a 19% increase compared to the previous year (approximately 37,000).

A Jeju Air representative stated, "It is a growing trend among domestic and international airlines to introduce premium economy seats that allow passengers to enjoy comfortable air travel at reasonable prices," adding, "We will continue to offer some Business Lite seats on newly introduced aircraft to meet the demand from customers seeking both value and satisfaction."