Summary
- T’way Air is celebrating one yr of its Seoul-Sydney route, contributing to Sydney’s South Korean market growth.
- The airline’s high-density A330 fleet allows for more passengers, competing with other airlines on the route.
- Sydney Airport has experienced international growth with a 15% increase in passenger traffic in November.
South Korean low-cost carrier T’way Air reached a milestone on Saturday, marking a yr since its route between Seoul and Sydney, Australia, was launched. Because the pandemic, the Seoul-based airline has doubled down on its international presence, returning to its strong performance out there seen in 2019.
All year long, T’way has undoubtedly contributed to Sydney’s South Korean market, because it has grown significantly since pre-pandemic. It comes because the airline continues to expand its international route network, resuming flights between Busan and Vientiane, Laos.
Celebrating one yr
Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) shared T’way’s achievement in a post on social media on Saturday. Since launching the service from its hub at Incheon International Airport (ICN), the carrier has operated nearly 180 return flights on its Airbus A330-300, representing around 123,000 seats offered between the 2 cities.
Photo: T’way Air
T’way’s A330s have allowed the carrier to dip into international operations. With its widebody fleet only consisting of three A330-300s, the airline’s high-density cabin configuration allows for more passengers to be transported. Each aircraft accommodates 347 passengers, featuring 12 seats in business class and the remaining 335 in economy. T’Way also operates the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 737-800 for domestic and short-haul flights.
The ICN-SYD route is kind of popular, with several airlines operating flights between the 2 destinations. FlightAware data indicates that five carriers offer service on the route: Asiana Airlines, Korean Air, T’way, Qantas, and Jetstar. The equipment typically seen on the long-haul route includes the A350-900 and A380 operated by Asiana and the 747-8 Intercontinental by Korean Air. Qantas and T’way deploy the A330-300, while Jetstar uses a 787-8 Dreamliner. The flight between the 2 cities covers nearly 5,300 miles (8259 kilometers) with a flight time of over 10 hours.
International growth in Sydney
Last month, SYD recorded a 15% increase in passenger traffic in comparison with November 2022. The airport said 3.41 million travelers passed through in November, representing a 91% recovery from pre-pandemic. International traffic has been booming, with SYD’s T1 international terminal experiencing 1.26 million travelers passing through last month, an almost 30% increase on the identical period last yr. In comparison with November 2019, the result was a 93% recovery rate, based on the airport.
South Korea was ranked among the many top 5 in SYD’s international network last month, accounting for 29% of passenger traffic. Asian countries proved demand because the variety of travelers from India, the Philippines, and South Korea were all levels seen throughout the same period pre-pandemic.
Scott Charlton, the CEO of SYD, commented on the increased international demand, crediting flights with increased seating capability.
“Australians’ desire for overseas travel is clearly back, with the variety of Australian passport holders coming through the T1 international terminal returning to pre-pandemic levels. By way of overseas visitors to Australia, passenger numbers are generally correlated to airline seat capability. We’re seeing strong passenger volumes from markets with high seat capability, and where capability is restricted, the recovery in passenger volumes has been slower. The identical dynamic is at play domestically, where tighter airline capability is translating to passenger volumes which are around 10 percent lower than throughout the same period pre-pandemic.”
While T’way celebrates a full yr of service at SYD, its international growth has not slowed down.
Photo: T’way Air
Last week, the airline resumed day by day service between Busan and Vientiane after operating the route in early 2020. On Thursday, the primary day of the relaunched service, the airline said the load factor on the primary flight was around 93%.