Shown is a group of passengers on May 18 waiting for the boarding process at Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport. (Yonhap News)

By Hong Angie

The number of international flights in Korea has surged 642% over a one-year period.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on May 18 said that as of last month, the number of international flights at domestic airports skyrocketed to 3,021 per week from just 407 in the same month last year.

The number of such flights last month was 65% of the pre-pandemic level of 4,619 in April 2019.

The jump in international flights also led to the number of airport buses serving Seoul and Gyeonggi-do Province to balloon 379% over the same period.

Service on airport rail service in April last year was about 86% of that of April 2019, but fully returned to its pre-pandemic level last month.

The airlines industry has preemptively recruited airport workers including pilots, flight attendants, and security and ground operations staff to prepare for normalization of international flights. The number of airport workers is now 90% of that in December 2019.

The number of pilots fully returned to the pre-pandemic level of December 2019, that of airport service workers like cleaners and cart handlers 98%, mechanics 94%, security personnel 93%, ground operations workers 84% and flight attendants 83%.

To improve recruiting of ground operations staff at Incheon International Airport, which is struggling with poor working conditions, the government is implementing measures like funding a bonus of up to KRW 1 million for a new worker who stays on the job for a designated period and expanded late-night operations of airport buses.

This graphic shows the results of the government's efforts to normalize airport operations. (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

Airport bus operations will be expanded during the peak travel season of summer to prevent tourist inconvenience.

shong9412@korea.kr