Trinity Airways' new aircraft livery is seen in this promotional photo released by the company.TRINITY AIRWAYS
Local budget carrier T'way Air relaunched as the upgraded Trinity Airways on Thursday, saying it will tailor services to passengers depending on the specific route.
The airline calls the model a "selective service carrier," a category it says sits between the full-service carriers and the budget airlines that have long split the Korean market. Its new brand mission is "Relaxed and Reliable."
The name is not yet in force across the airline's operations. Trinity Airways received a revised license from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in May but still needs approvals from foreign aviation authorities before check-in counters and booking systems change over. The TW airline code, flight numbers and existing reservations stay as they are.
Rather than incorporate the full range of services, the company said it would tap the ones passengers actually need. On short-haul routes, it will hold fares down and run leaner. On long-haul routes, it will spend on airport and cabin comfort.
The carrier flies 58 international routes. Thirty of them are in Southeast and Northeast Asia, 18 in Japan, five in Europe and three across Russia and Central Asia, with one each to the Americas and Oceania.
Trinity Airways has run a premium check-in counter at Incheon International Airport since the start of this year and will open airport lounges in stages. It is also expanding in-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi.
A T'Way Air A330-300 aircraft is seen in this undated photo.T'WAY AIR
In-flight meals will be overhauled within the year, mainly on long-haul routes. Meal service will extend to medium-haul destinations including Jakarta, Indonesia, and Singapore, with two meals each way on long-haul flights and one on medium-haul.
Business class meals will include side dishes such as salad, fruit and bread, along with wine, beer and other alcoholic drinks. Economy class will get a wider selection of salads and beverages.
The airline also plans a mileage program tied to the group's travel and lodging network. Sono International, the hospitality arm of Sono Trinity Group, operates about 15,000 hotel and resort rooms across 21 locations in Korea and 22 overseas, along with ski resorts, water parks and other leisure facilities.
The uniformunveiled on Thursday uses "Trinity Gray"as its brand color accented with rose gold. It is cut from performance fabrics for ease of movement, and the flight crew uniform now includes a cardigan.
Trinity Airways crew members walk the runway at the airline's brand launch and uniform show at the Sono Felice Convention in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Aug. 6.JOINT PRESS CORPS
The airline cast the rebranding as a shift in what it sells, not just a change of name.
"This rebranding is not simply a change of name," a Trinity Airways representative said. "It is a process of building new reasons for customers to choose Trinity Airways. We will focus on the services customers value most and offer an integrated service that combines aviation and hospitality."
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
