Korea-China Northeast Three Provinces Passenger Flights Reduced Due to COVID-19

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Amid growing concerns in China about the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in South Korea, the number of passenger flights between South Korea and the three northeastern provinces of China is expected to decrease.

According to local sources on the 2nd, Korean Air plans to reduce the number of flights between Incheon International Airport and Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China, from 7 to 4 per week between the 10th and 28th of this month.

Korean Air will not operate flights between Dalian, Liaoning Province, and Incheon from the 10th to the 28th, and will temporarily suspend flights between Yanji in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin Province, and Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang Province, and Incheon from the 16th to the 28th.

This measure appears to be due to a decrease in passenger numbers caused by COVID-19, and other airlines are also expected to take similar actions.

According to Yanbian Newspaper and others citing Yanji Airport, "From the 1st, flights from Yanji to South Korea will be reduced," and "China Southern Airlines has temporarily suspended flights from Yanji to South Korea this month," they reported.

According to China Central Television (CCTV), Zhu Tao, Director of the Flight Standards Department of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, said at a State Council joint prevention and control system press conference the day before, "Recently, the rapid spread of COVID-19 in South Korea and Japan has impacted the international air transport market between South Korea and China, and between China and Japan," adding, "Chinese and foreign airlines have reduced some flights according to market demand and the COVID-19 situation."

He also said, "The total number of flights between South Korea and China has already decreased to 320 this week and is expected to drop to 276 next week."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.