Hong Kong, 27 July 2016 U-FLY Alliance is thrilled to announce the addition of its newest member – Eastar Jet. The popular South Korean airline joined the world’s first LCC Alliance today (27 July 2016), bringing with it superlative service, strong brand recognition, excellent safety standards and an expansive route network.

Announced at a press conference today, the U-FLY Alliance is proud to bring Eastar Jet into the family. The new airline will open up more destinations across Northern Asia and enable travellers to access U-FLY Alliance connections in Seoul, Busan, Jeju and many more exciting cities.

Launched in 2009, Eastar Jet has grown rapidly over the past decade, now covering a route map of 24 international and domestic destinations — all of them will be added to the U-FLY Alliance network. The airline is on track to fly more than 5 million Guests this year alone and has an exceptional safety record as an IOSA-certified airline.

In addition to its rapid passenger growth and route expansion, the Eastar Jet is also constantly growing its fleet to enable new routes and cater to the strong demand. Eastar Jet currently operates 17 aircraft with 2 more expected to join by the end of 2017.

“As the first LCC alliance in the world, we’re proud to see the U-FLY Alliance taking off so quickly,” said Jimmy Ma, Board Chairman / Director of U-FLY Alliance. “The partnership offers a natural extension of the U-FLY Alliance mission: to offer affordable airfare and flexible travel options across the region.”

“With Eastar Jet on board, we will be able to expand U-FLY Alliance’s reach to 197 destinations and link up Guests with hard-to-reach places all over South Korea and Northern Asia.” said Andrew Cowen, CEO of U-FLY Alliance. “We can therefore empower more Guests to explore various places easily at ultralow fares.”

“Speaking on behalf of Eastar Jet, we are delighted to join the U-FLY Alliance and connect South Korean travellers with this network of exceptional LCCs,” said JungShik Kim, CEO of Eastar Jet. “It is an honour to be a part of the U-FLY Alliance and we look forward to furthering its noble mission to create a better-connected Asia and provide affordable travel for all.”

To mark the great milestone, the U-FLY Alliance is giving out different offers from all 5 airlines. The sales period runs from 27 to 31 July 2016*. This alliance opens up a world of opportunities for avid travellers, making exotic destinations such as Harbin and Lhasa significantly more accessible than ever before.