Jeju Air sees 35% jump in transit passengers Jan.-Sept.

Jeju Air B737-8

South Korean low-cost carrier Jeju Air Co. announced on Wednesday that the number of transit passengers using its flights jumped 35 percent in the first nine months of this year from the same period a year ago.

According to Jeju Air, nearly 99,570 passengers used its flights to transit through Korea to third countries from January to September this year, up 35 percent compared to the same period in 2023.

The figure also surpasses last year’s total of 97,092 transit passengers.

Transit passengers on Jeju Air have grown substantially from just 1,000 in 2014 to 149,000 in 2019.

Although numbers dropped sharply during the Covid-19 pandemic, Jeju Air has seen a strong recovery since last year. The airline expects this trend to continue as it expands routes and strengthens partnerships with other carriers.

Jeju Air aims to boost demand among travelers from Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia by offering new routes, such as those from Incheon to Batam and Bali in Indonesia, which launched last month.

Jeju Air has also signed interline agreements with 14 international airlines, including Etihad Airways and United Airlines, further extending its overseas network.

“We plan to diversify our revenue model by exploring new demand through a combination of newly launched routes and an expanded international network,” said a Jeju Air official.