Suspended routes reopened and frequencies upped at Incheon

Home > Business > Industry

print dictionary print

Suspended routes reopened and frequencies upped at Incheon

Travelers wait in long lines at Incheon International Airport on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

Travelers wait in long lines at Incheon International Airport on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

 
Airlines are reintroducing suspended long-haul routes and upping flight frequencies as the government encourages more international flights from Incheon International Airport.  
 
Korean Air Lines announced Thursday it will resume Incheon-Las Vegas flights starting July 10, flying there on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flights to and from Milan and Vienna will resume July 1, also three a week on the same days.
  
All three routes were suspended in March 2020 due to the pandemic.  
 
Korean Air Lines said it plans to reopen more international routes in the future.  
 
More international flights are expected to fly from Incheon International Airport as the government lifts major pandemic restrictions. Flights have been prohibited from landing at the airport between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. since April 2020, but the arrival time restriction was lifted Wednesday.
 
A total of 40 flights are now allowed to land at the airport per hour, compared to the previous 20-per-hour cap during the pandemic.  
 
Unvaccinated travelers were exempt from mandatory seven-day quarantine from Wednesday. Both the vaccinated and unvaccinated will have to take an antigen or PCR test within two days of departure for Korea and a PCR test within three days of arrival.
 
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it authorized carriers to add 762 flights in June and will approve additional flights if carriers wish to resume services or add frequencies.  
 
Jeju Air announced Thursday it is increasing flight frequencies.
 
It currently flies between Incheon and Guam four times a week but will fly seven times a week starting July 1.  
 
With more flights, Incheon International Airport expects daily passenger numbers to reach 60 percent of average 2019 levels by mid-September. The company initially aimed to reach that goal in November or December, but said the goal will be met earlier due to lifted restrictions. 

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]
Log in to Twitter or Facebook account to connect
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
help-image Social comment?
s
lock icon

To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.

Standards Board Policy (0/250자)