The Korean airline industry is in a heated race to win the extra openings in the Incheon-UlaanBaatar route that so far had been exclusive to national flag carrier Korean Air Lines Co. and its Mongolian counterpart MIAT Mongolian Airlines.

Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Feb 26, will allow new players on the air route between Incheon, Korea and UlaanBaatar, Mongolia from the end of March this year, according to aviation industry sources on Wednesday. The Incheon-UlaanBaatar route has been restricted to Korean Air Lines and MIAT Mongolian Airlines since inception in 1991.

Last month, transportation authorities of the two countries agreed to expand their air route. Available seats on the route will be bumped up to maximum 2,500 from current 1,956 and flights can run up to nine times a week, compared with current six times.

The route between Busan, Korea’s second largest city on the southern coast, and UlaanBaatar will also be expanded. The maximum available seats are to be increased to 195 from previous 162, and flights will run three times a week. Currently, Air Busan flies twice a week on the route. It began the service in 2015.

Korea’s second largest full-service carrier Asiana Airlines Inc., as well as budget carriers including Jeju Air, T’way Air, and Eastar Jet, are readying their bids.

By Hwang Soon-min and Cho Jeehyun

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