Factbox: S.Korean airlines contend with virus-related travel restrictions

Jin Air Co

04/03/2020 08:15

SEOUL, March 4 (Reuters) - As restrictions widen on
travellers from South Korea, the most coronavirus-hit country
outside China, airlines are cancelling flights, cutting costs
and seeking government support.
    As many as 55 countries require quarantine on arrival or ban
entry for travellers from South Korea, the country's foreign
ministry said on Wednesday. 
    The transport ministry met aviation executives on Tuesday to
discuss support measures, after budget airlines requested
emergency funds and cuts in airport charges and taxes.
    Below summarises the virus impact on South Korean airlines. 
    
    KOREAN AIR LINES
    South Korea's biggest carrier by revenue, Korean Air Lines
Co Ltd  003490.KS , has cut global capacity by about 80% - 
affecting routes including the United States, Italy and Britain
- and is offering paid leave for cabin crew members.
    Korean Air, which had a cabin crew member test positive for
the coronavirus, said last week it would measure the temperature
of all passengers for flights to the United States - which has
said it will screen travellers from South Korea - and turn away
passengers whose temperature exceeds 37.5 Celsius (99.5
Fahrenheit).  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nS6N2A300U
    
    ASIANA AIRLINES 
    An Asiana Airlines Inc  020560.KS  flight to Hanoi was
forced to return to Incheon on Saturday, as Vietnamese
authorities prevented it from landing in the capital.
    Korean airlines subsequently cancelled flights to Vietnam
where authorities are allowing flights from South Korea to use
only the Van Don International Airport and Phu Cat Airport until
June, the South Korean embassy in Hanoi said on Wednesday.  
    Vietnamese carriers including Vietnam Airlines JSC  HVN.HM 
and Vietjet Aviation JSC  VJC.HM  are set to suspend flights to
South Korea this week over coronavirus concerns.
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2AV49H urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N2AO26O
    
    BUDGET AIRLINES
    Budget airlines, already grappling with competition in the
crowded market, have been hit hard by the virus due primarily to
their heavy reliance on short-haul routes. Most of the no-frills
carriers are accepting applications from employees for unpaid
leave.
    Asiana Airlines' budget affiliate Seoul Air is only
operating one domestic and one international route in March.
Another budget affiliate, Air Busan Co Ltd  298690.KS , is only
operating four routes, pulling its capacity down by about 85%. 
    South Korea's biggest budget carrier by revenue, Jeju Air Co
Ltd  089590.KS , has suspended about 60% of its routes. On
Monday, it said it would buy 51% of competitor Eastar Jet Co Ltd
for 54.5 billion won ($45.97 million), about 22% less than
previously announced.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2AV1GR

($1 = 1,185.5900 won)

    <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
One of Korean Air's cabin crew tests positive for coronavirus   
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nS6N2A300U
Vietnam Airlines to suspend flights to S.Korea over coronavirus 
   urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2AV49H
Vietnam carrier Vietjet to halt flights to S. Korea over
coronavirus      urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N2AO26O
S.Korea's Jeju Air buys Eastar Jet at lower price amid virus
outbreak     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2AV1GR
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
 (Reporting by Heekyong Yang, Joyce Lee and Hyunjoo Jin; Editing
by Christopher Cushing)
 ((Heekyong.Yang@thomsonreuters.com; +82 2 6936 1470;))