Korean Air, Asiana Airlines launch inter-airline through check-in service

Korean Air and Asiana Airlines will launch an inter-airline through check-in (IATCI) service that allows passengers to receive a boarding pass for their connecting flight at the place of their departure and transfer their checked baggage to their final destination. This is the first service the country’s two largest carriers, which are in the process of a merger, introduced to enhance customer convenience. With the introduction of the new service, passengers, who transfer from one airline to the other, can choose their seats, receive tickets, and transfer luggage to their final destination when checking in with the first airline.

For example, a passenger, who arrives at Incheon International Airport from Japan on Asiana Airlines and connects to Korean Air to Europe, can check in for both flights at once at the airport in Japan. Before the introduction of the service, passengers had to go through the hassle of receiving the boarding pass for Asiana Airlines in Japan and going to a Korean Air counter in Incheon for a new boarding pass and seat assignment. Last year, the number of transit passengers switching between the two carriers at Incheon International Airport stood at about 12,000. The IATCI service is available within 48 hours prior to departure.

“Ahead of the merger with Asiana Airlines scheduled next year, we will continue to offer services that will enhance customer convenience through integration,” said an official from Korean Air.


Hyung-Seok Seo skytree08@donga.com