Japan-South Korea travelers help Incheon air traffic hit pre-COVID levels

International passenger traffic at South Korea's Incheon International Airport from January to March was up 50% year-on-year, marking the first return to pre-pandemic passenger levels in a quarter. International travelers coming through Incheon totaled 17.14m, just short of the 17.77m people recorded between January and March 2019. Routes to and from Japan grew the fastest, up 56% year-on-year to 4.36m passengers and accounting for a quarter of the total. Airlines are boosting flights and seats as demand recovers. Asiana Airlines is switching to aircraft with more seats and increasing flights on routes connecting Incheon with Japanese airports in Osaka, Tokyo, Fukuoka and Okinawa, around Japan's Golden Week holidays from the end of April through early May. Korean Air will operate charter flights between Incheon and the Japanese beach resort area of Nanki Shirahama, Wakayama prefecture, in May.<br/>