Seoul, South Korea – Asiana Airlines has announced that it will discontinue its popular winter coat check service, leaving travelers bound for warmer destinations with fewer options.

The airline cited challenges in securing adequate storage space at Incheon International Airport as the primary reason for the service suspension. Despite efforts to find alternative service providers, Asiana was unable to find a suitable partner at a reasonable cost.

"Due to limited space and difficulties in finding a suitable service provider, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue the coat check service," an Asiana Airlines spokesperson said. "We will resume the service as soon as we can secure a suitable location."

The coat check service, which was first introduced by Asiana Airlines in 1999, allowed passengers to store their winter coats for up to five days free of charge. Korean Air, which started offering a similar service in 2005, will continue to provide the service to its passengers.

Both airlines had temporarily suspended the coat check service during the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed it last year. Asiana Airlines reported that over 22,000 passengers utilized the service in 2023.