Asiana begins refitting plane seats to match Korean Air ahead of merger
Published: 09 Dec. 2025, 21:19
![Asiana Airlines' flagship A350 aircraft [ASIANA AIRLINES]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/09/87792d5a-53d9-41c1-b045-7e797670dfe1.jpg)
Asiana Airlines' flagship A350 aircraft [ASIANA AIRLINES]
Passengers flying on Asiana Airlines may now find themselves sitting in Korean Air seats, as Asiana begins overhauling cabin interiors ahead of the two carriers’ merger.
Asiana Airlines began replacing seats on its A350 aircraft with Korean Air seats on Dec. 3, according to the airline industry. Two out of 15 of Asiana’s A350s have completed the refitting and are currently in operation. The A350 is Asiana’s flagship aircraft for medium- to long-haul routes, including North America, Oceania and Southeast Asia. Korean Air seats are expected to be installed across Asiana’s 68 aircraft in phases.
Because seats are directly tied to an airline’s brand and identity, the move is seen as a tangible step toward unifying the two airlines’ image and operations ahead of their planned merger. However, Asiana said there would be no change in service. The 28-seat “Business Smartium” section on the Asiana A350 will be replaced with 28 seats from Korean Air’s “Prestige Class,” which are identical in seat pitch at 77 inches when fully extended and a width of 22 inches. The economy class seat pitch and width, at 32 to 33 inches and 18 inches respectively, also remain unchanged.
“This is a visible change for passengers as we move toward the launch of a unified airline,” an Asiana representative said.
![Seats on Asiana Airlines' flagship A350 aircraft, left, to be changed to the seats of the same size on Korean Air planes [EACH COMPANY]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/09/d99e58b0-39b6-44b3-a449-863370225ae0.jpg)
Seats on Asiana Airlines' flagship A350 aircraft, left, to be changed to the seats of the same size on Korean Air planes [EACH COMPANY]
![Seats on Asiana Airlines' flagship A350 aircraft, left, to be changed to the seats of the same size on Korean Air planes [EACH COMPANY]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/09/29a49ebd-5d51-439f-9680-9b99866e4a0e.jpg)
Seats on Asiana Airlines' flagship A350 aircraft, left, to be changed to the seats of the same size on Korean Air planes [EACH COMPANY]
The two airlines are scheduled to merge by 2027 and have already begun integrating operations. Asiana is set to move to Terminal 2 at Incheon International Airport on Jan. 14. Its main ticket office, previously located in western Seoul's Mapo District, has relocated to Korean Air’s headquarters in Seosomun, central Seoul.
Organizational integration is also underway. Asiana’s human resources development team, which oversees new hire training and other employee education programs, has moved to Gangseo District, western Seoul, where Korean Air’s training division is located. The two carriers have also begun aligning in-flight safety and service manuals.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LEE SU-JEONG, PARK YOUNG-WOO [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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