Jeju Air (7C, Jeju) and t'way Air (TW, Daegu) have announced plans to establish their own separate groundhandling companies.

According to The Korea Herald, Jeju Air has signed an agreement to buy Dongbo Airport Service Co., one of Korea's largest groundhandling firms, for an undisclosed sum. Following the deal's completion, Dongbo will begin servicing Jeju Air as early as this year.

“As Jeju Air’s fleet and flights continue to expand, the need for stable support services has become more important,” an official with Jeju Air told the paper.

Meanwhile, T’way Air has begun the process of establishing its own groundhandling firm, tentatively named T’way Air Service. The report states that recruitment has already begun ahead of a proposed mid-December start of services. The move will also remove the carrier's reliance on Dongbo given its acquisition by rival Jeju Air.

“T’way will be able to independently supervise passenger services at airports, providing more stability to support staff while also improving service quality,” the company said.

Other Korean carriers that have their own groundhandling operations include Asiana Airlines, Korean Air, and Eastar Jet.