Parata Air: The Latest Long-Haul Low-Cost Airline To The US

Parata Air, a new South Korean Low-Cost Carrier (LCC), has filed an application with the US Department Of Transportation (DOT) seeking permission to begin service to the United States. According to the application, the carrier intends to start Summer 2026 operations from Seoul’s Incheon International Airport to Los Angeles and Las Vegas using its Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

Parata Air has bold ambitions, having only just commenced scheduled operations on September 30, and still operating with a limited fleet of just four aircraft. If its application is approved, it would become the third Korean long-haul LCC to fly to the US, following in the footsteps of Air Premia and Trinity Airways (formerly T’Way Air).

Parata Air: The Rebirth Of Fly Gangwon

Credit: Parata Air

Parata Air has emerged from the now-defunct carrier Fly Gangwon. It started operations in 2016 from its base at Yangyang International Airport, using a fleet of Boeing 737-800s to fly domestic routes to Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport and Jeju International Airport, before branching out with regional routes to Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam. Unfortunately, it ran into trouble during the pandemic and entered bankruptcy restructuring, before being purchased by Korean manufacturing giant Winix and relaunched as Parata Air earlier this year.

The new carrier commenced operations last month using an Airbus A330-200 between Seoul Gimpo and Yangyang, and is expanding to add flights from Jeju to Seoul Gimpo (6x weekly) and Yangyang (daily). The use of A330s on domestic routes seems ambitious for a startup that is also South Korea’s ninth LCC, but it is reportedly just a temporary measure while it brings its smaller A320-200s online.

Nevertheless, Parata Air CEO Yoon Chul-min, reported that the first route was “booked to 97% capacity,” exceeding the carrier’s expectations. He also asserts that Parata Air intends to move beyond its LCC roots to become a true hybrid operator:

“We will transcend the boundaries of full-service and low-cost carriers. We don’t plan to adhere to the existing distinction. We aim to be an airline that starts with the services and routes that are essential from the customer’s perspective, while providing an experience that stands out in the market.”

Parata Air’s Ambitious Growth Plans

Credit: Parata Air

Parata Air no longer has access to the former aircraft of Fly Gangwon after they were returned to lessors during the restructuring. As a result, it has faced an uphill battle to acquire new aircraft, with Yoon saying they “faced multiple rejections” before being able to secure their first aircraft. The current fleet of four aircraft is made up of two ex-Alitalia A320-200s, and two A330-200s that originally flew for Avianca and Hainan Airlines.

The cabin configurations are still a work in progress. The two A320s arrived with a 174-seat, all-economy configuration, but the Parata Air website suggests that the active aircraft has since been re-configured to 168 seats, with 12 ‘Comfort+’ seats up-front with a greater row pitch and in a 2-2 configuration. This would appear to be the future layout, representing the approach of a more hybrid carrier. The other A320 is currently parked, likely obtaining its new cabin fittings.

The A330s are in a similar situation. HL8709, which flew the inaugural flight a few weeks ago, has 294 seats, split between 49 seats in Comfort+ and 245 in Economy. The other A330 (HL8714) still shows as having an 18-seat business class as part of its 260-seat configuration, but is also parked and is likely being adjusted to the 294-seat layout.

The Third Korean Long-Haul LCC To North America

Credit: Air Premia

Parata Air will become the third South Korean long-haul LCC to operate to North America. Air Premia’s fleet of 787-9s have become a familiar sight at US airports, and the airline now serves four destinations, including a 6,900 mile (11,100 km) route from Seoul to Newark that clocks in at 15 hours on the westbound leg. It also recently increased its flights to LAX to twice daily after seeing particularly strong demand there.

Most of the long-haul flights of Trinity Airways head westward to destinations such as Paris, Frankfurt, and Rome. This is because the carrier has been incentivized to provide competition to key European destinations in the wake of the merger of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. However, it does also operate to the US territories of Guam and Saipan, and its North American ambitions materialized earlier this year with a new route to Vancouver.

Parata Air’s current ambitions, per its application with the DOT, are routes to Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The former might be a difficult prospect, with the route already hosting six daily flights, including A380s from Asiana, 747-8s from Korean Air, and an existing hybrid carrier. However, Las Vegas would appear to offer greater potential, as only Korean Air operates a signle daily 777-300ER flight on the route currently.