Exclusive: LCC chiefs to gather at Aviation Day as carriers unite under industry association

Low-cost carriers and other newer airlines have been joining the Korea Aviation Association in rapid succession this year, raising hopes that the industry will be able to speak with one voice through the body.

Air Premia is seeking to join the Korea Aviation Association this month, while Eastar Jet completed its membership process this month as well, according to industry sources Wednesday. Parata Air and Air Zeta became members in January and July of this year, respectively, and Aero K joined in August last year.

Once Air Premia completes its membership, 11 of the 12 licensed international and domestic air transport operators will be on the association's rolls — the sole holdout being Air Seoul. Air Seoul is scheduled to merge with Jin Air and Air Busan to form a unified Jin Air in March 2027. When that integration is complete, in effect every South Korean low-cost carrier will be represented in the association.

The Korea Aviation Association was founded in 1992 with Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and Korea Airport Service as charter members. Among low-cost carriers, Air Busan was the first to join in 2017, followed by Jeju Air and Jin Air in 2019 and T'way Air — now Trinity Airways — in 2023. The membership count had held at six for more than 30 years, but five new carriers have joined within roughly the past year, nearly doubling the total.

A deteriorating business environment is driving the industry toward the association. Fuel costs and exchange rates have surged in the wake of the Middle East war, sharply increasing the cost burden on airlines. Of the four listed low-cost carriers, only Jeju Air posted a cumulative operating profit in the first half of this year. Trinity Airways recorded an operating loss of 162.8 billion won ($122 million) on a consolidated basis, while Jin Air posted a loss of 15.5 billion won and Air Busan recorded a loss of 5.1 billion won.

A series of traffic rights allocations this year has also fueled calls for a unified industry voice. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport distributed traffic rights for 35 international routes to 11 domestic carriers in April, and last month allocated rights for 25 routes to 10 carriers.

The 46th Aviation Day ceremony, set for Oct. 30, is expected to be the first occasion on which the chief executives of all newly joined carriers gather in one place. The event, co-hosted by the Korea Aviation Association and the Korea Aero Club, is expected to draw about 300 attendees, including the minister of land, infrastructure and transport, the chair of the National Assembly's land and transport committee, and airline industry representatives.

The number of airline sponsors has also grown significantly. Last year's ceremony was backed by six carriers — Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Air Busan, Jeju Air, Jin Air and T'way Air. This year, Aero K, Parata Air, Air Zeta, Eastar Jet and Air Premia have been added, bringing the total to 11 sponsors.

The tone of the event will also differ from last year's. The 2025 ceremony was held in a somber atmosphere to mourn the victims of the December 2024 passenger jet crash, with aviation safety as the overriding theme, and only ministerial commendations were presented. This year, the ceremony will include both ministerial commendations and a government awards presentation.

"We sought membership in the hope that the association would speak up as a representative body for the aviation industry," an official from a low-cost carrier said. "With external variables surrounding the aviation sector changing rapidly, we hope to be able to consolidate our views through the association."