International flights approach pre-Covid levels with new and expanded routes

Planes are parked at Incheon International Airport. [NEWS1]

Korea's international flights are projected to reach 98 percent of pre-Covid levels during this summer, with new routes established between Incheon and Croatia's Zagreb and Australia's Melbourne.

The number of international flights will increase to 4,528 per week on 231 routes between domestic airports this summer from March 31 to Oct. 26, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced Thursday. This is up by 520 flights per week compared to last year's summer season,

This summer's new or resumed routes are flights from Incheon to Zagreb in Croatia, Melbourne in Australia and Mexico City in Mexico. Additional routes from Korea's regional airports include Gimhae in South Gyeongsang to Bohol in the Philippines, Daegu to Zhangjiajie in China, Muan in South Jeolla to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, and Jeju to Xian in China.

Flight frequency expanded from last winter on routes including Poland, which increased from five to seven times a week, and the United Arab Emirates, rising from 21 to 28 times a week. These expansions came after airlines were granted widened traffic rights last year.

In addition, flights to the United States have increased from 193 to 232 times a week, while those to Europe have risen from 114 to 139 times a week.

"Just as we've recently expanded traffic rights to Indonesia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan, we intend to keep broadening our international routes to enhance citizens' travel convenience and support businesses," a ministry official said.

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