Facing challenges from record high oil prices, airlines across the world have launched extra services to win passengers.

First-class and business-class customers, who generally account for 20 percent of total passengers but contribute 80 percent of income, are major targets in the carriers' war.

Korean Air's VIP lounge in Incheon International Airport offers showers, massages and food for transit passengers, with wireless Internet and TV.

The carrier flies to 21 cities in China, including Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong. By flying through the Seoul hub, passengers can reach the United States, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia, among other destinations.

Korean Air has also set up an information desk at Incheon staffed by Chinese-speaking receptionists to help guide people through transit procedures.

And the carrier has concentrated on offering various styles of food, especially Korean cuisine, on inflight meals.

Korean Air, which flies to 115 cities in 38 countries, and Inha University launched a Food Safety Research Center this month to improve hygiene inspections and enhance the quality of ingredients used for its inflight meals.

"With the center in charge of screening food ingredients provided to Korean Air Catering and all relevant Hanjin Group and Inha Foundation organizations, we will be able to guarantee the best quality for all foods provided by Korean Air and Hanjin Group," said Yang-Ho Cho, chairman of the Hanjin Group, parent of Korea Air.

The airline has also adopted audio and video on demand systems to allow passengers to choose from more than 50 movies and 4,700 songs on 22 long-haul routes.

Tourists heading to Seoul can get a tour brochure on the flight which lists information about sightseeing, shopping, hotels and restaurants, as well as main streets of the city.

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways renovated its cabins in May to offer flat beds for first-class and business-class passengers.