Jin Air to resume flights on 5 international routes next month

Jin Air / Korea Times file

Low-cost carrier Jin Air Co. said Tuesday it will resume flights on five international routes next month to cater to incoming passengers and meet cargo-carrying demand.

Jin Air plans to restart flight services on routes from Incheon to Bangkok, Taipei, Narita, Osaka and Vietnam on June 1, to bring overseas Koreans, those studying abroad and businessmen to the country, the company said in a statement.

The company said it will operate one to two flights a week to the five cities from June to also meet cargo-carrying orders, it said.

Jin Air has suspended all of its international flights since April, as countries strengthened entry restrictions on incoming passengers to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. But seven domestic routes have been in service despite the virus outbreak.

It offered flights on 32 international routes to cities that include Guam, Hawaii, Shanghai and Hong Kong before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the airline industry.

Jin Air has 22 B737-800s and four B777-200ERs, all chartered planes. Korean Air Lines Co.'s parent Hanjin KAL Corp. holds a 60 percent stake in the carrier.

From January to March, Jin Air shifted to a net loss of 45.77 billion won (US$37 million) from a net profit of 31.8 billion won, as the coronavirus outbreak cut into its bottom line. (Yonhap)