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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] Korean carriers Korean Air and Asiana Airlines have been rated B in international flight service evaluations due to frequent flight delays, while many foreign airlines from China and Japan received top grades of A or higher.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) on December 21, in the first half of 2025 (January–June), Korean Air’s operational reliability rating dropped from last year’s A+ to B+, and Asiana Airlines fell from A to B. The evaluation covered 51 airlines—10 domestic and 41 foreign—assessing operational reliability and passenger protection performance.
Operational reliability considers on-time performance and long-delay rates, each weighted 50%, with domestic flights from regional airports receiving bonus points. Among international carriers, All Nippon Airways (A++) and other Japanese and Chinese airlines, including Japan Airlines, China Southern, and Hong Kong Express (A+), achieved the highest scores. Among domestic carriers, Air Busan (A) performed well due to fewer long delays, while Aero K (C++), Air Seoul (C), and Air Premia (F++) received lower grades due to higher delay frequencies. Domestic flight reliability was generally strong, with Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Air Busan, and T’way Airlines rated B++ or higher.
Most domestic airlines were also rated highly for passenger protection, which evaluates whether airlines have established and implemented compensation plans, dispute resolution records, and administrative sanctions. Exceptions included Aero K (B++) and Air Premia (B+), which saw lower ratings due to unresolved passenger compensation cases.
MOLIT plans to announce the full 2025 annual air traffic service evaluation results around May 2026, which will be used in allocating air transport rights.
Alphabiz Reporter Paul Lee(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
