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Korean national flag carrier Korean Air Lines said Wednesday it will extend the suspension of its Russian routes until any new positive development happens in the Russia-Ukraine war. In March, Korean Air said it will halt the operation of passenger jets to Moscow and Vladivostok, and cargo planes that are bound for Europe via Moscow until the end of April due to safety concerns over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "The company will be closely monitoring the situation before it decides to resume flights on routes to Russia," a company spokeswoman said over the phone. The carrier said flights on some routes from Incheon to Europe and the United States currently take a detour to avoid the Russian and Ukraine airspace. Affected routes include the routes to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, Boston and Toronto. Flights to the cities take up to three hours longer. Asiana, the country's second-biggest airline after Korean Air, didn't operate passenger jets to Russia even before the pandemic hit the airline industry two years ago. Its cargo planes currently take a detour around Russian airspace. <br/>

Korean Air Lines reported preliminary revenue that’s almost back at pre-Covid levels on a quarterly basis as the carrier’s strong presence in cargo makes up for still-weak passenger traffic. The South Korean airline posted revenue of 2.81t won ($2.3b) and a record Q1 operating profit of 788.4b won, according to a statement Wednesday. The airline’s cargo operations pulled in revenue of 2.15t won in the period. There are some headwinds, however. While a recovery in passenger demand should gradually boost global air cargo capacity, “instability in regional air cargo markets is expected to persist due to major Chinese city lockdowns and the war in Ukraine,” Korean Air said. Other uncertainties stem from supply chain bottlenecks, a reduction in capacity on Europe routes and high fuel prices. The carrier said its passenger business should pick up quickly in 2022. South Korea aims to restore international flights to 50% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year, its transportation ministry said last month. The limit on the number of flights arriving per hour at Incheon International Airport will be eased to 20 in May from 10 for the first time in two years, it said. Korean Air has also been trimming its financial obligations during the pandemic, bringing its debt ratio down to 255% as of the first quarter of 2022, the lowest since 2011. The carrier said its passenger business should pick up quickly in 2022. South Korea aims to restore international flights to 50% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year, its transportation ministry said last month. The limit on the number of flights arriving per hour at Incheon International Airport will be eased to 20 in May from 10 for the first time in two years, it said.<br/>