Seoul, South Korea – Asiana Airlines announced on March 31st that it will increase its South Korea-China flight schedule by 20% for the summer and autumn seasons, adding 26 weekly flights across 18 routes for a total of 164. This expansion comes as the airline aims to capitalize on the growing travel demand spurred by the mutual visa-free entry policies between the two nations.
The airline detailed the specific route expansions. The Incheon-Chengdu and Incheon-Chongqing routes have been reinstated, with daily round-trip flights. The Incheon-Dalian route will see an increase of three afternoon flights in addition to the existing daily morning flight, bringing the total to 10 flights per week. The Incheon-Yanji route will increase from five to seven flights per week, with an additional flight scheduled to begin on April 28th.
This expansion is a direct response to the increased demand we are seeing following the implementation of visa-free policies, stated an Asiana Airlines representative.
The numbers support this claim. From November of last year, when China began its trial visa-free entry policy for South Koreans, through February of this year, the number of South Korean tourists visiting China surged by 37% year-on-year, reaching 4,535,044. The South Korean government is also planning to launch new initiatives to attract Chinese tourists in the third quarter of this year.
This increase in flight capacity signifies a positive trend in South Korea-China relations and a rebound in tourism between the two countries. The visa-free policies have clearly had a significant impact, and Asiana Airlines is strategically positioning itself to benefit from this growing market. The move is expected to not only boost the airline’s revenue but also contribute to the overall economic recovery of the tourism sectors in both South Korea and China.
References:
- Yonhap News Agency. (2024, March 31). 韩亚航空夏秋航季韩中航班增开两成至每周164班 [Asiana Airlines to Increase South Korea-China Flights by 20% to 164 per Week for Summer/Autumn Season]. Retrieved from [Insert URL if available, otherwise omit]
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