Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul to merge in March 2027

South Korean low-cost carriers Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul have approved plans to combine under a single airline, provisionally known as “Unified Jin Air”, on 17 March 2027.

The merger remains subject to approval at extraordinary shareholder meetings in December and to the necessary aviation and regulatory authorisations. It will follow the planned merger of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines on 17 December 2026.

Jin Air, already owned by Korean Air, will be the surviving company and inherit Air Busan and Air Seoul’s assets, liabilities, employees, contracts and legal obligations. The latter two airlines were subsidiaries of Asiana and are being brought into the Hanjin Group through Korean Air’s acquisition of Asiana.

The combined airline will operate 58 aircraft, making it South Korea’s largest low-cost carrier by fleet size. Its network will link the Seoul metropolitan market through Incheon with Air Busan’s strong presence in Busan and the wider Yeongnam region.

Integration will be based on Jin Air’s operating certificate and standards. The airline will gradually consolidate the three carriers’ fleets, flight operations, maintenance systems, booking platforms and customer-service procedures while working towards an integrated Air Operator Certificate.

Jin Air has invested approximately KRW22 billion (€13.5 million) in an Airbus A320neo-family flight simulator and related training infrastructure. Joint programmes for pilots, maintenance personnel and cabin-crew instructors are already under way.

The merged carrier aims to reduce duplication, improve fleet and network efficiency, open new routes and strengthen its position in the Asian low-cost market, with safety identified as the integration programme’s principal priority.