Airlines that have operated at least 20,000 domestic flights over two years will be granted a license for international flight operation, according to the Ministry of Construction and Transportation Wednesday.
The new rule has come amid a growing number of low cost carriers being established here planning international operations to China, Japan and Southeast Asia. ``We needed a strict rule to ensure safety, as new budget carriers ― Jeju Air and Hansung Airlines ― have had frequent minor accidents,'' a ministry official said.
According to the new rule, a carrier will be allowed to operate non-regular international flights only after it operates 20,000 domestic flights for two years without accidents involving death. An airline that operates non-regular international flights for one year without accidents involving death will be granted a license for regular operations.
For Air Korea, a budget carrier Korean Air plans to set up, the government will not acknowledge Korean Air's experience but it will be subject to the same regulation as the other new carriers.
An airline with one-year domestic flight operation history without accidents involving death will be able to operate between South Korea and the North's Mount Baekdu.