Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA / Photo : Web Screenshot
According to South Korean media reports, industry insiders have revealed that as the merger process advances, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines have begun repainting Asiana aircraft with the new Korean Air livery. Recent photos released by the media show an Asiana Airlines Airbus A321 already sporting Korean Air's new livery, although the fuselage still retains Asiana's logo and company name.
The aircraft is scheduled to enter service on domestic routes starting on 9 September 2026.
This repainting initiative is significant, signaling that with the official merger completion date of December 17 approaching, the brand integration of the two companies is now being physically implemented across their fleets.
On 12 August 2026, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines held their respective board meetings and extraordinary general meetings of shareholders, ultimately approving the merger plan and scheduling the completion of merger registration for 17 December 2026.
Upon completion of the merger, the new entity will continue to operate under the "Korean Air" brand, while the "Asiana Airlines" brand will be retired.
However, this does not mean that all Asiana Airlines aircraft will be repainted with the Korean Air livery on 17 December 2026 itself.
Asiana Airlines' current fleet of 67 aircraft will undergo repainting gradually according to a schedule that takes into account factors such as maintenance cycles and flight operation plans. Consequently, for some time after the new company is officially established, some aircraft retaining the original Asiana livery will continue to operate flights.
The combined fleet will exceed 250 aircraft, and the entire repainting process is expected to take at least three years to complete.
Photo copyright : Gan Yung Chyan
In March 2025, Korean Air unveiled its new corporate logo and aircraft livery. The new livery retains Korean Air's signature sky-blue color but utilizes a newly developed metallic finish for a more modern overall look. The original *Taegeuk* (yin-yang) symbol has been upgraded and simplified, retaining only a streamlined blue outline. On the fuselage, "KOREAN AIR" has been changed to "KOREAN," using a custom typeface with smoother, more fluid lines.
The first Boeing 787-10 aircraft featuring Korean Air's new livery made its debut at a presentation on 11 March 2026 and entered service on 12 March 2026, flying from Incheon to Narita.
No comments:
Post a Comment