AFTER cutting back on the Europe-Seoul route last year, airlines are ready to resume flights, signalling a South Korean recovery.
Asiana Airlines (OZ), which suspended all its European flights last year, aims to resume flights to Frankfurt by April 2000.
OZ spokesman Lim Sook said as more South Koreans were now visiting Europe it made sense to resume services. "As more tourists visit Europe, we plan to launch flights to Frankfurt in March or April 2000, if things go smoothly.'' He said the airline would use a 747 aircraft on the Europe route.
Last year, OZ suspended flights to Vienna, Brussels and Istanbul, due to a steep decline in the number of South Korean tourists to these areas.
Currently, Lufthansa and Korean Air operate flights on the Seoul-Frankfurt route. Air France, which currently operates three flights weekly Seoul-Paris, will add one more flight on the route.
KLM will increase frequency on the Seoul-Amsterdam route from April 1, 2000.
British Airways and Swiss Air also plan to resume flights on the Seoul-Europe route, after ceasing operations on the route last year due to a steep fall in load factors.
After reaching an all-time high of 370,000 tourists in 1997, the number of South Korean tourists to Europe dropped to 190,000 in 1998. "The number will return to the pre-crisis level next year,'' one airline manager predicted.