[앵커]
The closed Sky Road is reopening as flights on international routes that have been suspended are resumed one following another.
Compared to the pre-COVID-19 supply, it has recovered to a level of 30%, but there are voices of concern as the number of confirmed cases is increasing.
Correspondent Choi Ki-seong.
[기자]
People who are regarding to leave for Haneda Airport in Japan are waiting to get their boarding pass.
From travelers who are excited to find their wife’s hometown with their family following 3 years,
[신일 / 여행객 : 와이프(배우자)가 일본 사람이라서 가고 싶어 했는데 고향에 가고 싶은데 못 가잖아요. 그래서 이번에 큰맘 먹고 갈 수 있어서 다행입니다.]
Some passengers are looking forward to an overseas trip with friends following a long time.
[배지희 / 여행객 : 장기간 해외를 못 가다가 이렇게 가게 돼서 되게 설레고 뭔가 이제 외국에 가서 많은 것을 보고 체험할 생각을 하니까 기분이 좋아요.]
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport agreed to increase the number of flights between Gimpo and Haneda, which resumed last month, from 8 to 28 per week.
Other international routes that have been blocked are also resuming operations one following another.
On the 23rd, a direct flight from Incheon International Airport to Beijing, China was revived following 28 months.
In addition, the Sapporo, Istanbul and Barcelona routes also resumed operation following more than two years.
Korean Air plans to increase the number of weekly international flights 11 times next month from this month, while Asiana Airlines plans to increase 17 flights next month.
The number of international passengers was 1.26 million in June, an increase of more than 1 million from a year ago.
However, the airline industry is in a tense atmosphere as the COVID-19 outbreak turns to spread once more.
As the number of confirmed cases coming from abroad is around 300 a day, the government changed the guidelines so that the PCR test, which had to be done within three days of entry, is received on the first day of entry.
[백현우 / 아시아나항공 PR팀 : 코로나19 재확산 추이에 대해서도 면밀히 모니터링을 실시함과 동시에 정부와 협조해 방역 강화상태를 지속적으로 유지하고 있습니다.]
Not only the speed of the spread of COVID-19, but also the increased exchange rate and airfare are expected to act as variables that will influence the speed of flight resumption.
This is Choi Ki-sung from YTN.
YTN Ki-Sung Choi (choiks7@ytn.co.kr)
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