T'Way Air to become 1st S. Korean LCC to operate flights to Croatia

SEOUL, May 15 (Yonhap) -- T'Way Air Co. will become South Korea's first low-cost carrier (LCC) to operate flights to Croatia after it received a license from Seoul's transport ministry on Friday.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport distributed licenses for 25 international routes to nine local airlines, and T'Way was given a nod to operate flights to Croatia four times a week. The LCC also earned a license to fly its passenger jets to Tajikistan twice a week.

Jin Air Co., an affiliate of the country's top air carrier Korean Air Lines Co., received a route license for the first time in 22 months after the ministry's sanction on the budget carrier was lifted in March. It secured a license to send flights to Zhengzhou, China, three times a week.

In the latest distribution of route licenses, Jeju Air, the country's largest LCC, was granted a permit to operate flights to Russia four times a week.

Among local LCCs that newly earned air operator's certificates, Fly Gangwon Co. was given a license to operate flights to Beijing and Changchun, China, from South Korea's east coastal city of Yangyang.

Korean Air's licenses included permits for Incheon-Fuzhou and Busan-Shanghai routes. The country's other full-service carrier, Asiana Airlines Inc., received a license to fly to Poland.

The transport ministry said air carriers can use their new route licenses after South Korea and foreign aviation authorities reach an agreement on aviation security regarding the novel coronavirus pandemic.

kdon@yna.co.kr
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