Asiana Airlines will gradually change its passenger seat numbering system. The move is to make the aircraft seat numbering system the same as Korean Air Lines ahead of their full integration.
On the 23rd, Asiana Airlines announced on its website under "Notice on changes to the aircraft seat numbering system" that it will change the seat numbering system on all domestic and international routes operating from Dec. 14 to Dec. 16 this year.
For aircraft types other than the largest A380, the starting row for business-class seats will move from row 1 to row 7, and the starting row for economy class will change from row 10 to row 28.
On the A380, business-class seats on the first and second decks and economy-class seats on the second deck that start from row 70 will remain unchanged, while the starting row for economy seats on the first deck will change from row 30 to row 28.
Asiana Airlines explained that only the row numbers where seats begin will change by aircraft type and class, and that the actual seats will not be altered, so seat locations will remain the same.
Industry sources also said Asiana Airlines plans to keep updating the schedule for the seat system changes, and analysis suggests the alignment of the seat system with Korean Air Lines is intended to meet the target date for the merger.
Korean Air Lines and Asiana Airlines say they aim to complete the formal merger procedures within this year and launch the integrated Korean Air Lines starting next year, but there is talk that Dec. 17 this year has been set as the launch date.
The Korean Air Lines pilots union (KAPU), which has about 2,600 Korean Air Lines pilots as members, also said that day, while announcing last year's wage talks had broken down, "With the two airlines' merger ahead on Dec. 17 this year, we have serious concerns about the post-merger seniority system."
However, Korean Air Lines says it is proceeding with integration work with the goal of year-end but has not finalized an exact date.