Jeju Air to resume Incheon-Qingdao route after 3-year suspension amid pandemic

Jeju Air, Korea's leading low-cost carrier, said Wednesday it will resume the Incheon-Qingdao route later this month after three years of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeju Air plans to provide flights to Qingdao on a daily basis starting April 30, while expanding flights from Incheon to Weihai and Yantai beginning April 23, the company said. "The company will gradually resume more pandemic-suspended routes to China, depending on market demands," the statement said. The budget carrier used to operate 45 B737-800NG chartered planes on 87 routes, including six domestic routes, before the pandemic. The numbers of routes and planes have fallen to 35 and 37, respectively. In 2022, Jeju Air's net losses narrowed to 172.42b won from 272.28b won a year earlier as eased COVID-19 restrictions unleashed pent-up travel demand. This year, it aims to turn around after posting net losses for four consecutive years through 2022.<br/>