Korean Air cutting Japan flights amid travel boycott
National carrier Korean Air is cutting flights to Japan as the diplomatic and economic row between the two nations continues to bite.
Japan started restricting exports of certain high-tech materials to South Korea, causing panic in the South Korean tech hardware sector.
This came as a retaliatory measure after a South Korea court ruling over wartime forced labour.
There has been a wide ranging boycott of Japanese products and services in Korea, with a big dip in outbound travel.
It has forced Korean Air to suspend its Busan-Sapporo route from September 3, citing weak demand.
The travel boycott is being felt across the industry.
"If the anti-Japan sentiment continues and affects our reservation rates, then we cannot rule out the possibility of rearranging our Japan routes," said a spokesman at Jin Air, a low cost affiliate of Korean Air.
Other South Korean LCCs T’way Air and Easter Jet will also temporarily suspend some routes to Japan.
Korea is Japan’s second largest source market after China, although there had been a slight decline even before the diplomatic tension.
The market accounted for nearly a quarter of all tourist arrivals to Japan last year.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports