Low-cost air carriers still spreading their wings

Budget airlines are flying high and coming up with more promotions to grow even further.

According to data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, local low-cost carriers, or LCCs, flew more than 720,000 passengers last month on domestic flights, a 5.6 percent on-year increase. LCCs now have a market share of 46.3 percent for domestic flights. In international flights, the combined market share of budget airlines last month was 9.9 percent, a 3.5 percentage point increase from a year ago.

In order to keep up the momentum, local LCCs also coming up with fresh promotions.

Jeju Air, the nation’s largest budget carrier, said yesterday it will offer free tickets to passengers to the Jeju Cocomong Eco Park, a theme park that will open this Saturday. The airline, which is controlled by the Aekyung Group, said it will offer 1,200 tickets to passengers who fly to Jeju next month.

Jin Air, an affiliate of Korea’s flag carrier Korean Air Lines, started a promotion offering “Jini Kids Meal” to young passengers. It will also raffle off 10 LG Kid Pads, a kid-friendly tablet computer. Following the third consecutive certification by the International Air Transport Association’s Operational Safety Audit, the company said yesterday that people who left congratulation messages on its Web site will get gifts by lottery.

Eastar Jet said Tuesday it is starting an event called “Time Hot Sale,” which offers discount tickets between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. daily. Customers can purchase any domestic flight at a discount of up to 75 percent on a first come first served basis.

By Joo Kyung-don [kjoo@joonang.co.kr]