Demand for overseas travel, which had been suppressed, is stretching as quarantine exemptions have been implemented for those who have completed vaccination since this week. Korean Air, which has the largest number of international routes among domestic airlines, is expected to benefit from the reopening.
According to the aviation industry on the 25th, those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 since the 21st do not have to self-quarantine for a week when entering Korea. Demand for travel, which had been suppressed, is gradually increasing as the burden of taking additional quarantine leave has disappeared because they have been abroad.
Passenger recovery is the first in progress on long-distance routes such as the Americas and Europe. When there was a reopening issue in the second half of last year, the recovery of passenger demand began with long-distance routes such as the Americas, which has been similar since the government recently announced guidelines for exemption from quarantine.
According to Interpark Tour, reservations for overseas tickets surged immediately after the authorities announced it. According to Interpark Tour’s overseas ticket reservation status from the 11th to the 13th, it increased 873% from the same period last year and 281% from the same period last month.
In particular, as a result of analyzing the share of overseas routes reserved during this period, the Americas (39.1%) and Europe (31.5%) were the largest. It is interpreted that demand has been driven to Europe and Saipan, where quarantine exemptions are possible.
In general, mid- and long-distance routes such as the Americas and Europe, where demand is guaranteed, are called airlines’ core routes and contribute to profitability.
While demand for overseas travel is expected to recover in earnest from the second quarter of this year, Korean Air is seeking to expand international flights.
Korean Air will start next month in Europe and Guam. Japan and other routes will be expanded. As of this month, Korean Air operates 39 out of 110 international routes (as of before COVID-19).
A Korean Air official said, “We are closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation and closely reviewing the demand for international routes that will increase in the future.”