Korean Air to launch in-flight wi-fi service for int'l routes

Korean Air Lines Co. announced on Tuesday that it will begin in-flight wi-fi service on selected international routes starting from June 1.

Korean Air will initially provide this service on short-haul routes such as Gimpo-Osaka, Incheon-Fukuoka and Incheon-Osaka operated by Boeing 737-8 aircraft. The service will be expanded to various aircraft models including Airbus A321-neo and Boeing 787, covering all international routes in the future.

To meet the varying needs of passengers during air travel, Korean Air has divided the fee plans into internet and messaging options, with further segmentation based on flight distance and service usage time.

For short-haul routes such as Japan and China, where only text messaging via platforms such as KakaoTalk and Line is used, the fee is $4.95. For long-haul routes like the US and Europe, passengers can enjoy web browsing, photo and video transfers, video streaming at a resolution of up to 480p or music streaming for a duration of 2 hours at a fee of $10.95. Unlimited usage is available for $20.95.

Passengers can access the in-flight wi-fi service by selecting the desired service and making a payment through the dedicated purchase page accessed after boarding the aircraft. However, usage is restricted during takeoff and landing.

To celebrate the launch of the service, Korean Air will provide free messaging service to passengers on the aircraft offering the service for three months from next month until August.

"We will operate a dedicated customer center for in-flight Wi-Fi service through various channels and continuously strive to improve customer satisfaction," a Korean Air official said.

Write to Hyung-Kyu Kim at khk@hankyung.com