Korea, Georgia sign deal on direct air route, more flexible indirect flights

Aerial view of Gergeti Trinity Church at sunrise in Georgia [LOTTE TOUR]

A new air route linking Korea and Georgia was established following bilateral aviation talks held in Tbilisi on June 26 and 27.

Until now, there have been no direct routes to and from the Caucasian nation, with only sporadic irregular flights.

Airlines from both countries can now flexibly operate passenger or cargo flights up to seven times a week, based on demand, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Sunday.

Additionally, the agreement from the talks includes a code-sharing clause that enables participation by third-country airlines, facilitating a more flexible indirect flight system. The code-sharing arrangement provides services such as integrated ticketing, mileage accumulation and baggage transfer, even if different airlines operate different route segments. For example, a Korean airline can manage the Incheon-Central Asia leg while a third-country airline handles the Central Asia-Tbilisi leg.

Georgia has been enjoying rising popularity as a travel destination among Koreans, with the number of passengers doubling from 4,877 in 2017 to 9,835 last year. Its location as a commercial hub connecting Europe and Asia also led to a 120.2 percent increase in trade between Korea and Georgia, from $94 million in 2017 to $207 million in 2023.

In addition to the aviation agreement, the two countries have been negotiating an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) since February 2024. The Transport Ministry expects that the EPA, once concluded, will further enhance economic cooperation between Korea and Georgia.

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