More Korea-Indonesia direct flights are on their way

Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, Indonesia [YONHAP]

Weekly international flights between Korea and Indonesia are set to surge from their current count of 23 to 51, with the added convenience of direct flights from regional airports to Jakarta and Bali.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport unveiled these plans on Friday after a two-day series of aviation talks in Batam, Indonesia were held from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2.

Indonesia, being the sole Asean country without a formal agreement for direct flights, had maintained a 23-weekly flight limit since 2012. The outcomes of these talks now grant operational freedom between six regional airports in both countries, resulting in an additional 28 weekly flights.

The newly established international direct routes will include seven weekly each flights from Korean regional airports (excluding Incheon International Airport) to Jakarta and Bali, Incheon to Batam and Incheon to Manado.

Of particular note is the Bali route, a favored destination among Koreans for honeymoons and family trips, which will now provide unlimited operations through code-sharing arrangements between designated airlines.

Currently, Korea's national carriers operate 15 flights a week to Jakarta and nine to Denpasar. Korean Air's Incheon-Bali flights transported more than 242,000 passengers last year, achieving a 92.4 percent load factor.

The potential entry of budget carriers into this popular route raises expectations for reduced ticket prices, reminiscent of the price drop the similar Mongolia route witnessed after the expansion of flight options and entry of low-cost carriers.

"[The agreements] are likely to resolve the inconvenience of not having direct flights between Korean regional airports and Indonesia, which previously required departures only from Incheon Airport,” the ministry said. “Additionally, it is expected to significantly boost vitalization at regional airports.”

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]