South Korea’s Sum Air confirms ATR order as regional expansion takes shape
April 9, 2026
South Korea’s newest regional carrier, Sum Air, has ordered four ATR 72-600 aircraft with options for four more, with delivery expected in 2028.
Sum Air’s order with French aircraft manufacturer ATR signals ambitious growth plans just weeks after launching commercial operations.
The deal, signed during a France-Korea economic forum held in Seoul and attended by the French president, marks a significant vote of confidence in the region’s aviation potential across the Korean peninsula and further strengthens bilateral ties between the two countries.
Sum Air’s progress from startup to certified carrier
Sum Air received its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) on 10 March 2026, following more than three years of preparation, crew training, and safety validation, and after securing its Small Air Transport Operator License in 2025.
The airline launched commercial operations on its Gimpo-Sacheon route at the end of March using a leased ATR 72-600 from Singapore-based lessor Avation.
Founded in 2022, the carrier has established itself with a clear mission: “to strengthen regional connectivity across Korea,” according to CEO Yongduck Choi. ATR’s 72-seat turboprop is expected to play a pivotal role in enabling Sum Air to develop services connecting islands and regions across Korea and beyond.
The aircraft are scheduled for delivery from 2028 and will operate to island destinations including Ulleungdo off the east coast, Baengnyeongdo near the North Korean border and Heuksando on the southwest coast.
Sum Air: An airline built on strategic partnerships
In April 2025, the airline signed an agreement with Korea Airports Corporation to expand regional routes and revitalise Ulsan Airport in South Korea. Speaking in April, Choi said the partnership positions the airline to support public aviation needs, including emergency air transport services.
Once its domestic connectivity matures, Sum Air also has its sights on future island airports and short-haul routes to neighbouring countries, including Japan and China
ATR eyes Korean market growth
Regional aircraft manufacturer ATR has long viewed South Korea as underserved for regional aviation. It forecasts demand of up to 30 ATR 72 aircraft in the country within the coming years.
“The ATR 72-600 is designed exactly for the type of regional connectivity Sum Air aims to develop,” said ATR CEO Nathalie Tarnaud Laude. She pointed out that the turboprop’s short-runway performance makes it ideal for accessing remote island airports, while its fuel efficiency and cost-effectiveness make routes viable that would not otherwise be sustainable.
It will enable the airline to “reliably serve communities across Korea, from east to west and from the mainland to future island airports while keeping operations economical and environmentally responsible,” she continued.
Notable startup airlines in South Korea
Having emerged from the now-defunct Fly Gangwon, low-cost airline Parata Air launched its first commercial flights between Seoul Gimpo and Yangyang on an Airbus A330-200 in 2025. It has since expanded to Jeju and other routes and has applied to the US Department of Transportation (DfT) for permission to fly to Los Angeles and Las Vegas this summer.
Established in 2017, Seoul-based Air Premia describes itself as Korea’s first long-haul hybrid service carrier. Operating Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, it serves long-haul routes to the US, including Los Angeles, Newark, Honolulu and San Francisco, offering premium “comfortable air travel” at affordable costs.
Air Premia Adds New 787 Flights✈️ from Seoul🇰🇷 to This US City🇺🇸
— Aviation A2z (@Aviationa2z) December 2, 2025
South Korea’s @AirPremia (YP) will begin nonstop @Boeing 787 flights from Seoul Incheon (ICN)🇰🇷 to Washington Dulles Airport (IAD) on April 24, marking the second carrier on the route after @KoreanAir_KE
Read the… pic.twitter.com/Pr80OftsFp
Trinity Airways, formerly T’way Air, is another South Korean low-cost carrier. The airline was acquired by Daemyung Sono Group – South Korea’s largest hospitality group – in February 2025. The airline operates short and long-haul routes and has over 40 Airbus and Boeing aircraft in its fleet.
Featured image: Sum Air/ ATR
