Cho Won-tae, chairman of Hanjin Group, departed on an Asiana Airlines passenger plane rather than Korean Air. It is known that he had previously used Korean Air for overseas trips. This is the first time since Asiana Airlines was acquired by Korean Air in December 2024 that he has flown on Asiana Airlines.
According to the aviation industry on the 13th, Cho Won-tae took a flight on an Asiana Airlines passenger plane that departed from Incheon International Airport on the 10th to Los Angeles, California. The specific purpose of his departure has not been disclosed.
Since Korean Air became the largest shareholder after participating in Asiana Airlines' third-party allocation of shares in December 2024, this is the first time that Cho Won-tae has personally flown on Asiana Airlines. An industry official noted, "It appears that the chairman intends to check in-flight services himself."
Korean Air plans to operate Asiana Airlines as a separate brand for the next two years and will launch as a consolidated airline in October 2026. Cho Won-tae also delivered his first statement to a total of 11 group companies, including Korean Air and Jin Air, as well as the newly incorporated Asiana Airlines, AIR BUSAN, and Air Seoul on the 16th of last month.
In his statement, Cho Won-tae wrote, "As Korean Air and Asiana Airlines have lived differently for a long time, it will require effort and overcoming obstacles together to align with each other. It is our responsibility to ensure that Korean Air and Asiana Airlines can do even better at what they have done best."
The preparation for the launch of the consolidated airline is expected to accelerate following the appointment of a new representative for Asiana Airlines. Asiana Airlines will hold an extraordinary shareholders' meeting on the 16th to appoint Song Bo-young, the head of the Korean Air Passenger Business Division, as its new CEO. On the same day, AIR BUSAN and Air Seoul plan to appoint Jeong Byeong-seob and Kim Jung-ho, respectively, both former executives from Korean Air, as their new representatives.