For Korean Air, Chinese travelers are becoming increasingly important to its strategy as travel between the two countries continues to recover.
In the first half of this year, Chinese passengers accounted for just over 20 percent of the airline's international passengers, says David Pacey, vice-president of Korean Air's in-flight catering and lounges.
"Chinese people are very accomplished travelers. They travel extensively, so they know what they like and what they desire," Pacey observes.
He has also noticed more young Chinese visitors at Gimpo International Airport, many drawn by K-pop and Korean culture. Korean Air, he says, hopes its passenger experience can keep pace with those changing preferences.
The shift is taking place as Korean Air prepares for its merger with Asiana Airlines, which is expected to broaden its network in China.
Hwang Sung Won, a Korean Air executive involved in the China market, says the airline expects its China-market business to be about twice its previous level following the merger.
But expanding the market will not simply mean adding more flights, as China-South Korea services remain subject to bilateral traffic rights.
In Beijing, Korean Air and Asiana currently operate about 38 flights a week combined, and the merged airline cannot exceed the existing traffic-rights ceiling. Instead, Korean Air plans to increase capacity by introducing larger, newer aircraft, adding seats and improving service.
The merger will also bring several Asiana routes into the combined network, including Chengdu, Sichuan province; Chongqing; Harbin, Heilongjiang province; and Changchun, Jilin province, giving Korean Air greater reach into western and northeastern China.
At the same time, Korean Air is preparing for travelers with changing expectations.
Hwang says the China market has shifted from one once dominated by group tours and sightseeing toward individual and younger travelers increasingly interested in local culture and lifestyles.
That shift is also influencing what happens on board. Korean Air is gradually replacing older aircraft with newer planes that offer more spacious cabins. The airline also plans to increase the presence of Chinese cabin crew members, with one or two typically assigned to major routes such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
After the merger, the carrier may further adapt its services for Chinese passengers, including food and drinks suited to local preferences, Hwang says.
The carrier is also looking beyond South Korea itself. With Incheon as its hub and an extensive long-haul network, Korean Air hopes more Chinese travelers will use the airport as a transit point, particularly when traveling to North America.
The broader travel market is moving in that direction. Hwang says about 3.23 million Chinese visitors traveled to South Korea in the first half of the year, up 28 percent year-on-year, while about 1.71 million South Koreans visited China, up 16 percent.
"I hope what we've designed and the service we provide is appropriate for Chinese passengers," Pacey says.
