Airline installing inflight entertainment and global connectivity systems on airline’s new A350 fleet
Lake Forest, CA | July 20, 2017– Asiana Airlines, one of Asia’s largest carriers, has begun revenue service with its first A350 aircraft using Panasonic Avionics Corporation’s (Panasonic) industry-leading inflight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) solution. This first aircraft, which was line fit with Panasonic solutions by Airbus, entered passenger service on May 15th having been delivered to the carrier on April 26th.

Panasonic’s eX3 system delivers a premium passenger experience through features including audio and video on demand, and a massive content library that can offer over 50 movies, 60 TV shows, games, music and more.

The aircraft will also offer Panasonic’s global connectivity service – the only broadband inflight connectivity service operating in every country in the world today – enabling passengers to access the internet via broadband inflight Wi-Fi, and to send and receive calls and text messages.

Hideo Nakano, Chief Executive Officer for Panasonic Avionics said: “We are delighted to announce this partnership with Asiana Airlines. Our world-class systems provide their passengers with a globally available and premium inflight entertainment and connectivity experience.”

• Largest A320 Family model has lowest operating costs in single aisle category

Toulouse, France | February 11, 2015– South Korea’s Asiana Airlines has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Airbus for the purchase of 25 A321neo single aisle aircraft as part of its ongoing fleet modernisation programme. Seating 180 passengers in a two class layout, the new aircraft will be operated on the carrier’s regional services, as well as on selected domestic routes. Asiana will make a decision on its engine of choice for the aircraft at a later date.

The A321neo will join an existing fleet of A320 Family aircraft operated by Asiana Airlines and its low cost subsidiary Air Busan, with the A321 set to become the primary single aisle type at both units.

“The A320 Family is a proven success with Asiana Airlines and Air Busan, combining reliability, excellent operating economics and superior passenger comfort,” said Kim Soo Cheon, President & CEO, Asiana Airlines. “With the A321neo we will be able to look forward to even greater levels of efficiency, with a 20 per cent reduction in fuel consumption and increased flying range. The acquisition of the A321neo underscores our strategy to operate only the most modern and efficient aircraft that the industry has to offer.”

“We are pleased to announce this latest commitment from Asiana Airlines,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. “The A321neo will bring the airline the lowest operating costs of any single aircraft, flying passengers in comfort on flights of up to six hours. We will be proud to see the A321neo flying in Asiana colours, as part of a fleet that includes aircraft from the entire Airbus product line.”

Asiana Airlines currently operates 33 Airbus singe aisle aircraft, 15 widebody A330-300s and two double deck A380s. In addition to its newly announced commitment for the A321neo, the airline has outstanding orders for four more A380s and 30 all-new A350 XWBs for operation on its long haul network. Meanwhile, Air Busan currently operates nine A320 Family aircraft on its domestic and regional services.

The A321 is the largest member of the best-selling single aisle A320 Family. To date, the A320 Family has won more than 11,500 orders and more than 6,400 aircraft have been delivered to 400 customers and operators worldwide.

20 May 2010: Korean airline Asiana walked away with the 2010 World Airline Awards’s top award. The coveted Airline of the Year award was announced during a ceremony, held during Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg.

Organised by Skytrax, the World Airline Awards are now in their 11th year.  Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax, handed out awards across 53 categories including Best Cabin Staff, Best Inflight Entertainment and Best Seat, in each of the cabin classes.

The World Airline Awards are the most prestigious awards to recognise product and service quality across the world airline industry.  The awards are based on the World Airline Survey, which is organised annually by Skytrax; unlike many airline awards winners are selected by airline passengers. The survey measures over 35 different aspects of passenger satisfaction for an airline’s product and service standards, evaluating the typical travel experience. Regarded as the primary benchmark tool for passenger satisfaction levels of airlines throughout the world, the survey is based upon analysis of both business and leisure travellers and across all cabin travel types – first, business, premium economy and economy class passengers. 

Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax, said: “What marked Asiana out above all the other airlines this year was the overall quality of their customer service – across both the airport and the onboard environment. This award represents a true recognition of the front-line product and service that Asiana Airlines is delivering to its customers and the award slogan of ‘The Passenger’s Choice’ underlines the fact that Asiana Airlines are succeeding in satisfying the hardest critics – their users.”

Reed Exhibitions Group Exhibition Director, Ian Crawford, said: “This is the second year that Aircraft Interiors Expo has played host to these prestigious awards; it was wonderful to see so many airline attendees this year. Congratulations to Asiana Airlines and all the other winners.”