October 26, 2026 — Korean Air has published the detailed timetable for moving Asiana Airlines bookings into its own reservations system ahead of the two carriers’ integration on December 17. Starting next week, affected Asiana flights will face rolling booking freezes of up to 23 hours, and some special-service requests will be blocked for up to 47 hours.
What happened
According to Korea’s MoneyToday, Asiana flights will be moved to Korean Air’s system in batches, each on a set “migration day.” For any itinerary that includes a flight in that batch:
- New bookings, ticketing and changes are suspended from 6 p.m. the day before migration until 5 p.m. on migration day (23 hours).
- Special meals and assistance requests are restricted for up to 47 hours, from 6 p.m. two days before migration until 5 p.m. on migration day. This covers passengers travelling with infants or young children, unaccompanied minors, pregnant passengers, passengers with reduced mobility and passengers travelling with pets.
- Advance seat selection and seat changes are also unavailable during migration.
Not every Asiana booking is frozen at once; only itineraries touching the batch being migrated.
| Phase | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic flights | Three rounds: November 2, 9 and 16, 2026 | First round: bookings frozen 6 p.m. November 1 to 5 p.m. November 2; special services restricted from 6 p.m. October 31 |
| International flights | 17 batches, November 4 to December 3, 2026 | Dates of individual batches: TBA |
| Flights jointly operated by Korean Air and Asiana | December 7–9, 2026 | Migrated separately |
| Integrated airline begins operating | December 17, 2026 | Asiana flights fly as Korean Air |
OZ becomes KE
As each batch moves, Asiana’s OZ flight numbers are replaced with Korean Air KE numbers and the reservation and ticket records shift to Korean Air. When Korean Air first announced the process in September, it said it applies to existing Asiana tickets for travel on or after December 17, that ticketed passengers will be notified individually by text message, messaging app and email, and that an integration FAQ is available on its website and app. A spokesperson said the airline’s “main priority” is minimizing disruption.
What it means for non-revs
- Book or change Asiana travel early. If you plan to fly Asiana in late 2026 or beyond, make any bookings or changes before your flight’s migration window. The reports do not say whether employee or interline (ZED) tickets follow the same freeze, so check with your pass bureau or staff-travel desk before November 2 rather than assuming they are exempt.
- Re-check your flight number. Once a flight migrates, the OZ number you listed on may become a KE number. Confirm the flight in the system after each migration date.
- Request special services now. Travelling with an infant, a pet or a family member who needs assistance? Make those requests well before the 47-hour restriction begins.
- Watch your ZED agreements. After December 17, Asiana flies as Korean Air. How existing Asiana interline and ZED agreements carry over is TBA; check your carrier’s staff-travel site for updates.
- Expect some service hiccups. Moving a whole airline’s bookings over a month is a big systems job. Leave extra margin on any trip that touches an OZ flight during November and early December.
Sources
- MoneyToday — Asiana reservations to be suspended for up to 23 hours as Korean Air merger takes effect
- Asian Aviation — Korean Air begins booking migration and flight number transition ahead of Asiana integration
- TravelWires — Korean Air to Move Asiana Bookings and OZ Flight Numbers to KE Ahead of December Integration
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