Korean Air Eyes Malaysia Expansion, Enhanced Connectivity After Asiana Integration
KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- The planned integration between Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, a South Korean airline headquartered in Seoul, is expected to enhance network connectivity for Malaysian passengers transiting through Korean Air’s dedicated Terminal 2 at Seoul International Airport.
According to Korean Air regional manager for Malaysia, Brunei and Bangladesh Kang Sang Bum, Korean Air is reviewing long-term plans to expand its network in Malaysia, including deploying larger aircraft, increasing flight frequencies and potentially introducing passenger services to Penang following the merger.
Both airlines will be merged into a single integrated flag carrier from Dec 17, 2026, operating under the Korean Air brand.
“We are reviewing long-term expansion options for the Kuala Lumpur-Incheon route, including aircraft upgrades and frequency increases. However, we have to assess market demand and there are still challenges related to aircraft delivery schedules," he said during a media roundtable here Tuesday.
Beginning with the upcoming winter schedule, he said passengers travelling from Kuala Lumpur will enjoy shorter transit times to major North American destinations, with minimum connection times reduced to one hour and five minutes for Los Angeles and one hour and 35 minutes for New York.
He added that the combined network would also provide Malaysians with greater access to destinations previously served by Asiana Airlines, particularly in Japan and North America.
Kang said the airline serves more than 15 cities in Japan, enabling Malaysians to reach smaller Japanese destinations that are not directly accessible from Kuala Lumpur.
Following the integration in December, he said transit passengers from Malaysia would gain broader access across East Asia, including same-day connection options to regional Japanese destinations previously operated by Asiana Airlines such as Sendai and Miyazaki.
Rising passenger and cargo operations
Korean Air currently operates daily passenger flights between Kuala Lumpur and Seoul, while its cargo division serves both Kuala Lumpur and Penang.
Kang said the Kuala Lumpur-Seoul route recorded an average passenger load factor of about 86 per cent in the first half of 2026, up from around 76 per cent in the same period last year.
The airline carried 86,507 passengers on the Kuala Lumpur-Seoul route, while Malaysia-originating traffic to Seoul recorded 27,222 passengers, up 34 per cent year-on-year.
He attributed the improvement to stronger demand, particularly among passengers connecting via Incheon to the United States, Europe and Japan.
“To address the long-term traffic trends and cargo requirements across the sector, the airline is monitoring market conditions to assess future supply adjustments.
“After the Asiana Airlines integration, we expect to start deploying the larger aircraft, after which we can increase the frequency, but we are still figuring this out,” he said.
The airline serves 116 cities in 39 countries on five continents with a fleet of 165 aircraft, including 23 freighters that cover 45 cities in 26 countries.
Meanwhile, Korean Air general manager for Kuala Lumpur Cargo Branch Lee Man Seok said Malaysia, particularly Penang, has become an increasingly important market due to its thriving semiconductor and high-technology manufacturing industries.
He said the airline has increased cargo capacity by operating daily freighter services to Penang after adding extra flights in July to meet rising demand from electronics exporters.
Lee said Korean Air has built strong expertise in transporting high-value and temperature-sensitive cargo, including semiconductors, making Malaysia a strategic cargo market within its global network.
West Asia conflict and impact
Meanwhile, the airline said the geopolitical tensions in West Asia have temporarily altered travel patterns, with the airline recording an increase in bookings on some long-haul routes as passengers sought alternatives to Middle Eastern hubs.
Kang said the airline experienced higher booking levels among travellers from Australia, New Zealand and parts of Asia during the initial months of the conflict, as some travellers avoided transiting through the region.
"We saw an uptick in reservations during the first two to three months after the conflict broke out. However, demand has since normalised over the past few weeks," he said.
On fuel costs, he said the airline has maintained a stable fuel supply by diversifying its procurement channels and maintaining strategic fuel reserves, helping cushion the impact of oil price volatility arising from the conflict.
Kang added that while airfares on the Kuala Lumpur-Seoul route had increased following the rise in fuel surcharges, the impact on Malaysian passengers was relatively moderate compared with some other markets due to Malaysia's fuel pricing structure.
Korean Air has served the Malaysian market for more than four decades since launching its inaugural Kuala Lumpur service in 1984.
-- BERNAMA
