Korean Air resumes flights to and from Nagoya in six months

Korean Air will resume flights to and from Nagoya, which have been suspended due to COVID-19. The news comes as the Japanese government reopens one of its airports after allowing only a handful of flights from and to Tokyo Narita International Airport and Osaka Kansai International Airport for months in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. The South Korean airline industry is hoping to provide more flights to and from Japan going forward.

Korean Air announced Monday that it would resume flights between Incheon International Airport and Chubu Centrair International Airport from Tuesday, 176 days after the Japanese government imposed a travel ban on South Korean nationals on March 9. The flight from Incheon will only carry freight whereas the flight to Incheon will carry passengers. The decision was made considering both freight transport and demand for flight connections in Incheon. The South Korean airline will decide whether or not to offer regular flights after operating a few journeys.

Airlines are also hoping to resume flights to and out of Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Its close proximity to the city center and industrial complexes means airlines can secure demand for freight transport. They can also offer connecting flights to Australia, which has placed a ban on direct flights from South Korea, the United States and some European countries. Haneda Airport will be able to accommodate more passengers as its coronavirus testing capacity is set to increase from September. “We are preparing to resume flights to and from Japan although the number of positive COVID-19 cases is on the rise,” a source from Korean Air said.


Hyung-Seok Seo skytree08@donga.com