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British Airways resumed direct flight services to South Korea on Monday after 14
years, a senior official said Monday, amid growing economic ties between the two
countries.
The British flag carrier suspended regular flights to South
Korean in 1998 when the Asian financial crisis hit South Korea and other
countries in the region.
British Airways said it will operate six
times a week non-stop between London's Heathrow and Incheon starting Monday with
the Boeing 777-200 ER passenger jet.
"The reintroduction of British
Airways services to Seoul can only act as a catalyst for further development of
trade and tourism and deepen the links between two great global cities -- Seoul
and London," Jamie Cassidy, British Airways' Area general manager for the Middle
East and Asia Pacific, said in a news conference in Seoul.
Cassidy
arrived in Seoul earlier Monday via British Airways flight from London to
announce the resumption of flight services to South Korea, one of the biggest
markets in East Asia.
The resumption of flight services comes as trade
grows between the countries.
The United Kingdom is South Korea's
second-largest European Union trading partner, with total trade surpassing 6
billion pounds (US$9.6 billion) per year, according to Cassidy.
He
estimated a free trade deal with the EU will bring 500 million pounds of
benefits to the United Kingdom each year and create many opportunities for
Korean companies in the UK, particularly those in life sciences, green
industries, creative industries, financial services and research and
development.
South Korea and the EU implemented their free trade pact
in July of last year.
"We are therefore very confident our new flight
will contribute to the continued strengthening of business and social
relationships between Korea and the UK," Cassidy said.
Yuh Tae-soo,
director of the aviation marketing team at Incheon International Airport
Corporation, said he expects the number of visits between Korea and the UK to
reach 400,000 per year by 2015.