Asiana Airlines: Airport Hubs And Focus Cities

Asiana Airlines, based in South Korea, offers passenger and cargo services to over 80 destinations across 26 countries. The airline's two hub airports are Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport. Outside of South Korea, Asiana Airlines serves China, Japan, and the United States, with the former being its largest foreign market. The airline has experienced several notable incidents, including crashes in 1993, 2011, and 2013, and was fined by the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2014 for failing to keep passengers' families informed during the 2013 crash. In 2020, the South Korean government announced a merger between Asiana Airlines and Korean Air, which has since been delayed.

Asiana Airlines' hub airports: Incheon and Gimpo International Airports

Asiana Airlines operates from two hub airports: Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport, both in South Korea. Asiana Airlines is a South Korean airline and, as of December 2024, serves over 80 destinations in 26 countries. Outside of South Korea, the countries with the largest airports served by Asiana Airlines are China with 24, Japan with 9, and the United States with 10.

Incheon International Airport is the primary hub for Asiana Airlines. The airline has a strong presence in China, operating between Incheon and 22 cities in the country as of July 2020. Incheon serves as a base for Asiana's cargo operations, with flights to destinations like Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The airline also offers long-haul flights from Incheon to cities like Los Angeles, New York City, and Frankfurt.

Gimpo International Airport is the secondary hub for Asiana Airlines. The airline operates flights to and from Gimpo, including domestic routes within South Korea and regional Asia-Pacific destinations.

In November 2020, the Government of the Republic of Korea announced plans to merge Asiana Airlines with Korean Air, with the integration of subsidiaries Air Busan, Air Seoul, and Jin Air into a new low-cost airline. The merger was delayed in March 2021 due to pending approvals from various foreign authorities.

Asiana Airlines' largest airports outside South Korea: China, Japan, and the US

Asiana Airlines is a South Korean airline with its global headquarters in Seoul. It operates 90 international passenger routes, 14 domestic passenger routes, and 27 cargo routes throughout Asia, Europe, and North America. Outside of South Korea, the countries with the largest airports served by Asiana Airlines are China, Japan, and the United States.

China

China has the largest number of airports served by Asiana Airlines outside of South Korea, with 24 airports in 22 cities. Asiana Airlines, along with Korean Air, is one of the two largest foreign airlines to operate in the People's Republic of China. Shanghai Pudong International Airport is one of the notable airports in China served by Asiana Airlines.

Japan

Asiana Airlines serves 9 airports in Japan, making it the second-largest country for Asiana Airlines outside of South Korea in terms of airport presence. Hiroshima Airport is one of the notable destinations in Japan served by the airline.

United States

The United States is the third-largest country for Asiana Airlines outside of South Korea, with 10 airports served. San Francisco International Airport is a notable destination served by Asiana Airlines, although the airline faced an incident in 2013 when one of its flights crashed short of the runway during landing due to pilot error, resulting in three fatalities.

Asiana Airlines' subsidiary: Air Seoul, based at Incheon International Airport

Asiana Airlines' subsidiary, Air Seoul, is based at Incheon International Airport in South Korea. Incheon International Airport is one of Asiana Airlines' two hub airports, the other being Gimpo International Airport. The airline also operates flights to and from 22 cities in China, making it one of the two largest foreign airlines to operate in the People's Republic of China, alongside Korean Air.

Incheon International Airport opened for business in early 2001, replacing the older Gimpo International Airport, which now serves mainly domestic destinations. Incheon International Airport is located 48 km (30 mi) west of Seoul, the capital and largest city of South Korea. The airport is a hub for several airlines, including Korean Air, Jeju Air, and Polar Air Cargo, in addition to Asiana Airlines. It is also a hub for international civilian air transportation and cargo traffic in East Asia.

In 2016, Incheon International Airport was the fifth busiest airport in the world and third in Asia by cargo traffic. In the same year, the airport served a total of 57,849,814 passengers. The airport has a Landside Connecting system (bus shuttle) for airport employees and departing passengers who arrive at the wrong terminal. It can handle 62 million passengers and 5,800,000 tonnes of cargo annually.

In November 2016, Asiana Airlines launched Air Seoul, its second subsidiary and low-cost carrier, and transferred some of its unprofitable routes to the subsidiary. Air Seoul is based at Incheon International Airport. In 2020, the Government of the Republic of Korea announced a policy to merge Asiana Airlines with Korean Air, which would have resulted in the integration of subsidiaries Air Busan, Air Seoul, and Jin Air into a new low-cost airline. However, in March 2021, Korean Air announced a delay in the merger due to pending antitrust approval from the government and six foreign authorities.

Asiana Airlines' crashes: at Mokpo, San Francisco, and Shanghai Pudong International Airports

Asiana Airlines, which operates out of Incheon International Airport near Seoul, South Korea, has been involved in several crashes over the years. Here is some information on three of them, at Mokpo, San Francisco, and Shanghai Pudong International Airports.

Mokpo, South Korea, 1993

On 26 July 1993, an Asiana Airlines 737-500 crashed near Mokpo, South Korea. The aircraft struck high ground in poor weather about 4km from the runway while attempting its third landing. 68 people were killed, including four of the six crew members, and 104 passengers.

San Francisco International Airport, USA, 2013

On 6 July 2013, Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crashed on its final approach into San Francisco International Airport. The flight was a scheduled transpacific passenger flight from Incheon International Airport, Seoul, South Korea. Of the 307 people on board, three were killed, and 187 were injured, 49 seriously. This was the first fatal crash of a Boeing 777 since the aircraft type entered service in 1995.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China, 2013

On 6 July 2013, Asiana Airlines Flight 362 from Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China, to Incheon, South Korea, experienced some issues. More than 90 passengers on this flight then connected to the ill-fated Flight 214, bound for San Francisco.

Asiana Airlines' incident: at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport

Asiana Airlines offers regular passenger and cargo services to over 80 destinations across 26 countries. Its two hub airports are Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport in South Korea. Outside of South Korea, Asiana Airlines serves China, Japan, and the United States, among other countries.

On November 11, 1998, an Asiana Airlines incident occurred at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Alaska, United States. An Asiana Airlines Boeing 747-400 was attempting a U-turn in the gate area when the tip of its wing collided with the tail of an Ilyushin Il-62M belonging to Aeroflot. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident. However, Asiana Airlines was subsequently sued by Aeroflot, and the Ilyushin Il-62M aircraft was written off.

Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is a major airport in Alaska, located 5 miles (8 km) southwest of downtown Anchorage. The airport is named after Ted Stevens, a long-serving senator of Alaska from 1968 to 2009. It is a significant cargo hub, ranking as the second busiest cargo airport in the United States and the fourth busiest in the world in 2023. The airport has a long history, dating back to its construction in 1951. Over the years, it has been served by various airlines, including Alaska Airlines, Northwest Orient, and Pacific Northern Airlines.

The Asiana Airlines incident at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport was not an isolated event. Asiana Airlines has experienced several notable incidents and accidents throughout its history. For example, on July 28, 2011, Asiana Airlines Cargo Flight 991, a Boeing 747-400F, crashed into the East China Sea off Jeju Island, South Korea, resulting in the deaths of both pilots. On July 6, 2013, Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crashed short of the runway during landing at San Francisco International Airport due to pilot error, killing three passengers. In the aftermath of this incident, Asiana Airlines was fined $500,000 by the U.S. Department of Transportation for failing to promptly contact and inform the families of the passengers involved.

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