Air Incheon has become the first cargo airline in the Republic of Korea to obtain full membership of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The airline said it was awarded the certification on October 8. This follows the airline being awarded IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification on April 5, after passing an assessment evaluating its operational safety and quality against international standards.
Seung-Hwan Lee, chief executive of Air Incheon, said: “We are honored to officially become the sixth IATA member airline in South Korea. This achievement is an important milestone in Air Incheon’s growth and solidifies our commitment to providing world-class air cargo solutions.
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“Through IATA membership, our operational safety capabilities will be further strengthened, allowing us to contribute to the growth of the global air logistics and aviation industries.”
The airline said it will adopt IATA’s operational and safety standards and meet IATA’s safety management criteria. Additionally, Air Incheon plans to introduce IATA’s various financial solutions and operational standards to increase financial and operational efficiency.
Starting from July 1, 2025, Air Incheon will also take over and integrate Asiana Airlines’ cargo business.
In June, it was announced that Air Incheon had been named as the preferred bidder for the sale of Asiana’s cargo business as part of Korean Air’s acquisition of Asiana Airlines.
In August, Korean Air signed a “basic business sale agreement” with Air Incheon for Asiana’s cargo business.
The airline expects the acquisition to expand its network in both domestic and international cargo markets and the IATA membership to support this expansion.
“Air Incheon plans to successfully lead the integration of Asiana’s cargo operations by 2025 and further solidify its position in the global air cargo market,” said the airline.
