Eastar Jet adds 12 Boeing aircraft to fleet

(Eastar Jet)

Eastar Jet announced on Monday that it completed a contract to purchase 12 Boeing 737-8 aircraft, solidifying its fleet expansion strategy. The South Korean budget carrier plans to introduce seven of the new aircraft in 2025, with the remaining five scheduled for delivery in 2026.

Boeing will manufacture all 12 planes and Eastar Jet’s current fleet of 15 planes is slated to grow to a total of 27 by 2026 with the addition of these aircraft.

The airline, which resumed operations in March 2023 with just three aircraft, has gradually expanded its fleet, bringing in 12 additional planes to reach 15 aircraft. It now operates 27 routes across multiple destinations.

Eastar Jet reached a major milestone in September 2024, surpassing five million cumulative passengers just 18 months after restarting operations to become the fastest low-cost carrier (LCC) in Korea to achieve this feat.

VIG Partners, the airline’s largest shareholder, expressed confidence in Eastar Jet’s growth trajectory, saying it will continue to support the company through various funding initiatives to establish a stable profit base by 2025.