Jeju Air ramps up China routes ahead of winter travel surge

Jeju Air will add flights on four China routes this winter and has secured rights to launch services from Incheon to Beijing and Changsha, the Korean low-cost carrier said Tuesday. The airline said it was allocated traffic rights in September for seven weekly Incheon-Beijing flights and four weekly Incheon-Changsha flights. Traffic rights are government-issued permits that set how often a carrier may fly an international route. In April, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport awarded it rights on five other routes: Busan-Guilin, Busan-Shanghai, Daegu-Shanghai, Jeju-Chengdu and Jeju-Chongqing. The allocations allow Jeju Air to serve 13 Chinese cities, the most among Korean low-cost carriers, the company said. It currently operates 14 China routes, including nonscheduled services. Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, is a gateway to Zhangjiajie, a mountain area known for its sandstone pillars. The airline did not say when the Beijing and Changsha flights from Incheon will begin. Under the winter schedule, which begins Oct. 25, Busan-Shanghai flights will rise from four a wee