Air Seoul to open route to Vietnam this week

SEOUL, May 17 (Yonhap) -- Air Seoul Inc., the budget unit of Asiana Airlines Inc., said Thursday that it will launch a new route to Danang, Vietnam, this week, a move that could heat up competition among South Korean carriers over a popular tourist destination.

The debut service to Vietnam is set to begin at 10:20 p.m. on Friday, with the 195-seat A321-200 jet being deployed on the route. The service will be available every day, according to the carrier.

Currently, six other South Korean carriers operate flights to Danang, a destination that draws about 500,000 South Koreans a year.

Air Seoul currently operates six A321 chartered planes -- two configured for 220 passengers and four with 195 seats. With the planes, the low-cost carrier offers services on routes to 16 cities in five countries -- Japan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the U.S. territory of Guam.

The budget carrier plans to add a seventh A321 plane to its fleet in the second half of this year.

entropy@yna.co.kr
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