Finnair has identified Korea as one of Asia’s most strategic markets, with demand for the country on the gradual rise due to its growing cultural and economic influences abroad, top executives from the flag carrier of Finland said during a recent interview. They displayed strong affection for Korea, as the country comes with bigger potential for further growth, compared to other Asian markets, such as China and Japan. Finnair offers seven direct flights connecting Incheon and Helsinki each week, and it started flying to Korea 15 years ago. “During the pandemic, all the demand for passenger flights disappeared, but demand for cargo was strong, and the very first cargo-only flight we flew was to Seoul, which was Mar. 28, 2020,” said Ole Orver, CCO at Finnair. “We carried important goods from Seoul to Europe, and this is a sign of the importance of Korea to Finland, and Finland to Korea,” he said. Finnair Korea General Manager Kim Dong-hwan also spoke highly of the growth potential of the Korean market, citing the country’s growing cultural profile across the globe. “We believe there is more growth potential in Korea, compared with the two other Asian markets,” he said. “This is because of Korea’s increasing cultural influence, as K-pop, K-culture and K-movies spread across the world and those are getting stronger day by day. Demand from Europe to Korea has been highly increasing.” Finnair is also seeking to attract more Korean customers to the Northern European nation by enhancing its in-flight services. According to the airline, it hired a total of 26 Korean flight attendants this year alone. Two Korean flight attendants are typically on board the airplane while operating routes from Korea to other countries, but Finnair decided to double the number for the Incheon-Helsinki route in November, in a move to increase its market share here.<br/>
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Japan Airlines is moving into the development of an electric-powered vehicle that glides several meters over water on a cushion of air for carbon-free transportation. JAL has inked an agreement with U.S. startup Regent Craft to operate and sell the exotic electric sea craft in Japan. Seagliders are attracting attention as a new means of passenger and cargo transportation, offering low-cost, safe and high-speed flight. Regent is a world leader in its development. JAL will assist with measures necessary for operating the gliders in Japan, such as exploring the parameters of safe flight operations, developing test-flight infrastructure and collaborating on obtaining certification. Regent will develop the gliders themselves and JAL subsidiary Jalux will sell them in Japan. If put into practical use, the gliders will not only help alleviate traffic congestion, but also serve as a transportation option with a lower environmental impact than cars. JAL is looking to put its knowledge in aircraft safety and reliability to use in helping seagliders get off the ground in Japan. Regent was established in 2020 and JAL's corporate venture capital fund, the Japan Airlines Innovation Fund, invested in the company two years later. Japan's Yamato Holdings, U.S. regional carrier Mesa Airlines and Lockheed Martin are also investors. Regent aims to begin commercial operations in 2026. In fiscal 2025, the airline plans to generate about 40% of its earnings before interest and taxes from its non-aviation Mileage, Lifestyle and Infrastructure business, which includes the seaglider.<br/>
A Chinese court will hold hearings on claims for compensation for the Chinese relatives of people who died on a Malaysia Airlines plane that disappeared in 2014 on a flight to Beijing, a representative of the families said Friday. Jiang Hui, whose mother was on flight MH370, wrote on his Weibo social media account that he had received a notice that court hearings would begin Nov. 27. The hearings are expected to continue until mid-December, Jiang said. “I hope China’s laws can bring justice to the families who have not received a penny of compensation or an apology in the past 10 years,” Jiang wrote. “The disappearance of 239 lives, including 154 Chinese people, is a shame.” After almost a decade, the fate of the plane and its passengers remains a mystery. Various theories have emerged, but scant evidence has been found to show why the plane diverted from its original route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The plane is believed to have plunged into the Southern Ocean south of India. Given the continuing mystery surrounding the case, it remains unclear what financial obligations the airline may have and no charges have been brought against the flight crew. However, relatives say they wish for some compensation for a disaster that deprived them of their loved ones and placed them in financial difficulty. China’s largely opaque legal system offers wide latitude for judges to issue legal or financial penalties when criminal penalties cannot be brought. The case is expected to be heard in Beijing’s main Chaoyang District Intermediary Court, according to online postings, but no information was immediately available on the court’s website. Similar cases brought in the US against the airline, its holding company and insurer have been dismissed on the basis that such matters should be handled by the Malaysian legal system.<br/>