Korean Air puts cabin refresh program on hold after economy class backlash

Korean Air, South Korea’s main international airline, has been forced to pause a significant $215 million cabin overhaul for its Boeing 777-300ER fleet. The decision to put the program on hold comes amid complaints about the rollout from customers and a regulatory dispute with the Korean aviation authorities.

The major cabin refurbishment program was unveiled by the airline in August 2025 and was aimed at improving the onboard experience with a refreshing of economy class for passengers while also introducing a premium economy cabin for the first time. The plan, which also involved the upgrading of business class, was to involve 11 of the carrier’s Boeing 777-300ER fleet.

However, the decision to press pause on the program follows negative feedback received from passengers as well as regulatory scrutiny over the plans, leaving the whole refurbishment program under something of a question mark. The plan was forecast to cost approximately 300 billion Korean won ($215–$216 million).

Korean AirThe new premium economy cabin, to be known as “Premium Class,” was set to roll out in mid-September 2025. The upgrade promised enhanced comfort for travellers seeking an affordable upgrade from economy. The new cabin was to feature a 40-seat premium economy section laid out in a 2-4-2 cabin configuration. The cabin was to feature on several of Korean Air’s short- and medium-haul routes operated by the 777s and was generally welcomed by the traveling public.

Economy class uproar

However, the airline’s decision to reconfigure economy seating has seemingly caused uproar among regular travelers. The carrier had been planning to replace its current 3-3-3 layout in the economy cabin on its 777s with a much tighter ten-across layout (3-4-3).  While the latter is commonplace on many other operators of the type, it seems that it was a move too far for regular passengers of Korean Air.

While the carrier insisted that the updated design aligned with industry standards, citing competitors like Emirates and Singapore Airlines, which use similar layouts, this view was not shared by its customers.

Mrcool240 / Wikimedia CommonsKorean Air has prided itself on maintaining the more comfortable 3-3-3 setup on its Boeing 777s despite the revenue loss that this could incur. However, the move to 3-4-3 would have reduced seat width by about 2.5 cm and decreased padding to fit more passengers across the cabin. As such, the proposed change to economy class cabins came under immediate criticism from passengers across social media platforms.

Yet, it was not only regular passengers who expressed their deep concerns over the configuration change.  The airline’s most vocal customer contingent and also most valuable in its frequent flyer contingent expressed frustration over the potential loss of comfort, arguing that the switch to the 3-4-3 layout would compromise Korean Air’s reputation for service quality and passenger comfort levels. Worst still, many said they would choose to travel on other carriers should the changes be implemented.

Aeroprints.com / Wikimedia CommonsIf all that was not enough for the Seoul-based carrier, regulators from the South Korean authorities have raised their own concerns regarding the refurbishment program. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC), overseeing Korean Air’s ongoing acquisition of Asiana Airlines, has identified the changes to economy class as a potential violation of the merger conditions set out by the authority.

Among other things, those conditions require Korean Air to maintain service quality on certain routes, and the FTC argued that reducing economy seat comfort could breach those terms. It was also seen as potentially a profiteering move by Korean Air now that its main international rival was no longer operating in its own right.

Quick response from Korean Air

Following the blizzard of customer criticism, along with the pressure being imposed by the authorities, has forced a quick response from Korean Air itself. The airline said it was scrapping the move to a 3-4-3 layout in economy and would retain the more spacious ten-abreast layout that it currently offers. The scrapping of the plan will see ten of the 11 Boeing 777-300ERs earmarked for the program remain unchanged in economy class.

As reported by Aviation Source News, one Boeing 777 has already been fully refitted with the revised configuration, including the new premium economy cabin and the new 3-4-3 economy configuration. However, with the wider refurbishment program now under review, the airline has not yet provided a revised plan on how it intends to proceed with the program.  

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