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Photo courtesy of Korean Air |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] Seoul – Korean Air, now South Korea’s sole full-service carrier (FSC) following its merger with Asiana Airlines, has come under fire over allegations of misleading advertising related to its newly introduced premium economy class.
According to the aviation industry on September 4, the Consumer Sovereignty Citizens’ Meeting, a local consumer advocacy group, filed a request with the Fair Trade Commission to investigate the airline’s marketing practices.
Korean Air recently announced plans to introduce premium economy seating on 11 of its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft beginning this month, with operations slated to expand from September 17. The move restructures cabin classes from the previous First–Business–Economy model into Business–Premium Economy–Economy.
The controversy centers on allegations that Korean Air overstated seat size and misrepresented pricing. The airline advertised premium economy seats as being about 1.5 times larger than standard economy and priced at 110% of the economy fare, but consumer groups argue that the actual seat width is only 1.35–1.37 times larger and that the pricing benchmark was based on the highest-tier economy “Flex” fare.
Adding to the backlash, reports emerged that economy seat widths would shrink by one inch under the new configuration, sparking customer complaints online. Some passengers criticized the airline for “making economy seats smaller without lowering prices.”
Korean Air, however, defended its changes, stating that the new thinner seat design offsets the width adjustment, ensuring no significant reduction in perceived space.
Alphabiz Reporter Paul Lee(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
