By Lee Hyo-sik
Korean Air is joining Asiana Airlines in reducing the number of flights to China and operating smaller planes bound for the country in line with the declining number of Chinese visitors.
Korea's six low-cost carriers have also taken similar steps amid China's escalating economic retaliation against Seoul's deployment of a U.S. missile defense system, which has invited a strong backlash from the world's second-largest economy.
Since March when Korea decided to deploy the U.S. anti-missile Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, Chinese authorities have instructed travel agencies not to send tour groups to Asia's fourth-largest economy.
According to the Korea Tourism Organization, the number of Chinese visitors plummeted 41 percent to 2.25 million in the first half of 2017 from the previous year. In addition, the number of Koreans flying to China has dropped sharply amid the tense Korea-Sino relations, forcing local carriers to scale back flights between the two nations.
Korean Air said Monday it will not operate a route linking the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian to Incheon International Airport, beginning Oct. 29.
Korea's largest flagship carrier also plans to stop flying between Busan and Shanghai, citing a drop in the number of passengers.
The carrier will reduce the number of its flights from Incheon to Hubei and other Chinese cities, while operating fewer flights from Busan and Jeju to Chinese destinations. Korean Air will use a B737 for flights from Busan to Beijing, instead of the larger A333.
"We submitted a flight plan for the upcoming winter season to the transport ministry," a Korean Air official said.
The season will begin Oct. 29 and last until next March 24.
"Reflecting the declining number of passengers on flights to and from the mainland, we would like to operate fewer China routes. Instead, we want to increase the number of flights to Japan and Southeast Asia," the official said.
The carrier plans to boost the number of flights to Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya and other Japanese cities from Incheon Airport to serve more Koreans heading to the neighboring nation during the winter season.
Plus, Korean Air will operate more flights on routes linking Bali, Bangkok, Hanoi and other popular destinations in Southeast Asia from Incheon Airport.
Its smaller rival Asiana Airlines also already closed several China routes and downsized its planes on remaining routes amid the escalating THAAD row. More than 20 percent of its flights were bound for the mainland.
During the winter season, it will close five more routes to China, including one between Incheon and Dalian, while slashing the number of flights between the two countries.
"Since March, we have been operating our fleets in accordance with the decreasing number of passengers between Korea and China," an Asiana official said. "To offset our shrinking China business, we will offer more seats on flights to Japan, Hawaii and other destinations many Koreans visit in the winter."
Korean Air is joining Asiana Airlines in reducing the number of flights to China and operating smaller planes bound for the country in line with the declining number of Chinese visitors.
Korea's six low-cost carriers have also taken similar steps amid China's escalating economic retaliation against Seoul's deployment of a U.S. missile defense system, which has invited a strong backlash from the world's second-largest economy.
Since March when Korea decided to deploy the U.S. anti-missile Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, Chinese authorities have instructed travel agencies not to send tour groups to Asia's fourth-largest economy.
According to the Korea Tourism Organization, the number of Chinese visitors plummeted 41 percent to 2.25 million in the first half of 2017 from the previous year. In addition, the number of Koreans flying to China has dropped sharply amid the tense Korea-Sino relations, forcing local carriers to scale back flights between the two nations.
Korean Air said Monday it will not operate a route linking the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian to Incheon International Airport, beginning Oct. 29.
Korea's largest flagship carrier also plans to stop flying between Busan and Shanghai, citing a drop in the number of passengers.
The carrier will reduce the number of its flights from Incheon to Hubei and other Chinese cities, while operating fewer flights from Busan and Jeju to Chinese destinations. Korean Air will use a B737 for flights from Busan to Beijing, instead of the larger A333.
"We submitted a flight plan for the upcoming winter season to the transport ministry," a Korean Air official said.
The season will begin Oct. 29 and last until next March 24.
"Reflecting the declining number of passengers on flights to and from the mainland, we would like to operate fewer China routes. Instead, we want to increase the number of flights to Japan and Southeast Asia," the official said.
The carrier plans to boost the number of flights to Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya and other Japanese cities from Incheon Airport to serve more Koreans heading to the neighboring nation during the winter season.
Plus, Korean Air will operate more flights on routes linking Bali, Bangkok, Hanoi and other popular destinations in Southeast Asia from Incheon Airport.
Its smaller rival Asiana Airlines also already closed several China routes and downsized its planes on remaining routes amid the escalating THAAD row. More than 20 percent of its flights were bound for the mainland.
During the winter season, it will close five more routes to China, including one between Incheon and Dalian, while slashing the number of flights between the two countries.
"Since March, we have been operating our fleets in accordance with the decreasing number of passengers between Korea and China," an Asiana official said. "To offset our shrinking China business, we will offer more seats on flights to Japan, Hawaii and other destinations many Koreans visit in the winter."
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