Korean Air Introduces 'Premium Class' for the First Time: 1.5 Times More Spacious, Premium In-Flight Meals

Korean Air announced on August 5 that it will introduce a new seat class called "Premium Class" and deploy it on medium- and short-haul routes starting from mid-next month. Premium Class is positioned as a middle-tier class between Prestige Class and Economy Class.

Korean Air

Premium Class offers upgraded services at a price approximately 110% of the Economy Class fare. There are a total of 40 seats arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration, and the seating area is about 1.5 times larger than that of Economy Class. The seat pitch is 39 to 41 inches (about 1 meter), and the seat width is 19.5 inches (about 50 centimeters), both more spacious than the seat pitch of Premium Economy Class offered by major international airlines. The seat backrest can recline up to 130 degrees, which is comparable to the Prestige Class seats on smaller aircraft. The seat headrest features an ergonomic design that gently supports the head, and "privacy wings" are installed on both sides of the headrest to minimize eye contact with neighboring passengers.

In-flight meals are also offered at a premium level. Appetizers, main courses, and desserts from the Prestige Class menu are served in a full-course setting, and tableware and cutlery are provided by Armani Casa. Beverages such as alcoholic drinks, tea, and coffee are also the same as those served in Prestige Class. The in-flight entertainment system has been upgraded as well. The monitor size for Premium Class seats is 15.6 inches, which is larger than the monitors in Prestige Class. The monitors also support 4K high-resolution quality, providing an enhanced entertainment experience for passengers.

Passengers receive differentiated services compared to Economy Class during check-in and baggage drop-off. They can use the Morning Calm counters at each airport, and their baggage is given priority handling, the same as Prestige Class passengers. Boarding order is also prioritized based on elite membership status, allowing for faster boarding.

Korean Air

With the launch of Premium Class, Korean Air has also completely renovated the interiors of its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft that feature this seat class. The upper-tier "Prestige Suite 2.0" is arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, while the Economy Class features the "New Economy" seats in a 3-4-3 configuration. All seats have been replaced with the latest models used in Korean Air's newest aircraft. In-flight Wi-Fi is available in all seat classes. Approximately 300 billion KRW was invested to upgrade 11 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

A Korean Air representative stated, "The modification of the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft has been underway since 2018, but the project was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a large-scale company-wide project that we are now introducing," and added, "This project was pursued as part of a long-term investment aligned with our commitment to fleet modernization and enhanced customer service."