Asiana Airlines will axe first class from all but four of its aircraft in a move to reduce ongoing losses.
First class cabins across all of Asiana's Boeing 747-400 and Boeing 777-200ER fleet will be ripped out and replaced by business class, with only the Airbus A380 retaining first class suites (below) to reflect its flagship status.
Asiana currently flies four A380s to Los Angeles and New York, along with regional legs to Bangkok and Hong Kong, and has two more superjumbos on order.
Photos: Inside Asiana's Airbus A380
"Considering that our company is at an absolutely inferior position in terms of supply of first-class seats, all other flights will change to a two-class system, while the first class will remain on our four Airbus 380 airliners," Asiana CEO Kim Soo-cheon remarked, according to The Korea Times.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Sep 2012
Total posts 236
I wonder if the 2 remaining A380s on order will be delivered with first class?
If they aren't perhaps they'll be allocated to the A380 regional services where demand for F class is probably less anyway.
Shame though. Seems like a good product even though it doesn't appear to be financially viable.
01 Aug 2012
Total posts 30
Do we have any information as to whether the removal of First Class seats will be used as an opportunity to install the latest business seats on those aircraft? I very much hope so.
Lufthansa - Miles & More
29 Jul 2014
Total posts 182
Might the final pair of A380s be on route to LHR then as I belive they fly a 777-200er with F on the route and when I flew it I was the only award passenger in the cabin that was full.
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