Parata Air Carries 170,000 Passengers in First Year of Yangyang County–Jeju Province Service, Providing a Springboard for Yangyang Airport's Revival

【Financial News, Yangyang County—Kim Gi-seop, Reporter】Parata Air demonstrated the potential for demand recovery at Yangyang International Airport by carrying more than 170,000 passengers in its first year of operating the Yangyang County–Jeju Province route.
According to Parata Air on the 23rd, the airline operated 1,255 one-way flights and carried 177,741 passengers during the 11 months from its launch of the Yangyang County–Jeju Province route on September 30 last year through August 31 this year. That works out to an average of approximately 140 passengers per flight. To mark its first anniversary and the Chuseok holiday, Parata Air plans to distribute letters of appreciation from its employees and traditional Korean sweets to passengers on all flights during the holiday period.
This was the first domestic route opened by Parata Air. It drew attention because flights between Yangyang County and Jeju Province, which had been suspended when the former Fly Gangwon halted operations in May 2023, were restored after two years and four months. The route maintained a high load factor from the early days of service and also served as a test of domestic demand at Yangyang International Airport.
Building on its foothold in the domestic market, Parata Air has expanded into international routes. After beginning international operations in November last year, it added routes to Sapporo in Japan and Hanoi in Vietnam this year. In November, it is scheduled to launch its first route to China, serving Shenzhen. International routes originating in Yangyang County, including the Yangyang County–Shanghai route, are also being prepared in stages, raising interest in whether Yangyang International Airport will establish itself as an international hub.
A Parata Air official said, "Since the first flight took off from Yangyang County to Jeju Province, more than 170,000 customers have chosen our aircraft," adding, "We will steadily expand international routes originating in Yangyang County, including Yangyang County–Shenzhen and Yangyang County–Shanghai, while putting safety first and delivering an even more satisfying travel experience."

[email protected] Kim Gi-seop Reporter