Korea’s t’way Air to Launch Boeing 777 Operations in 2025

Korea’s t’way Air is poised to expand its international operations by incorporating Boeing 777-300ER aircraft into its fleet, as the airline has secured these planes from Korean Air. Scheduled for the northern summer season of 2025, t’way Air plans to utilize the 777-300ER on key routes, including Seoul to Paris Charles de Gaulle and Seoul to Rome Fiumicino, starting in late April.

According to data from Routes Online and ch-aviation.com, t’way Air will operate the Boeing 777-300ER thrice weekly on the Paris route from April 25 to October 24, 2025, and also thrice weekly on the Rome route from April 26 to October 25, 2025. Additionally, t’way Air will offer daily flights to Rome during this period, with Korean Air’s A330-200 aircraft covering the route on the remaining days of the week. The A330s will also continue to operate all flights between Seoul and both Frankfurt International and Barcelona El Prat.

Despite some initial pushback from Korean Air regarding t’way’s request for the 777s, the budget carrier has successfully navigated these challenges as part of its European expansion strategy. This move aligns with Korean Air’s recent negotiations with the European Union concerning the merger with Asiana Airlines. As part of the merger approval process, Korean Air has committed to facilitating t’way’s entry onto four routes to Europe, enhancing the budget airline’s international presence.

However, there are some discrepancies regarding the aircraft configurations. Reports from Seoul’s Money Today news site indicate that the seat map generated by t’way Air’s booking engine does not align with the seating layouts of Korean Air’s Boeing 777-300ERs. This inconsistency has raised questions, as searches of seat map databases confirm the mismatch. Korean Air has refrained from commenting on any potential lease arrangements with t’way Air, leading to speculation about alternative suppliers with similarly configured aircraft. Potential options could include Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways, both of which operate 777-300ERs.

The upcoming addition of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft marks a pivotal development for t’way Air as it gears up for increased operations in the summer of 2025. With the backing of Korean Air and strategic route planning, t’way Air is well-positioned to enhance its presence in the competitive international aviation landscape, providing travelers with more choices and improved connectivity to key destinations in Europe.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com