Airlines currently take indirect routings to avoid North Korea due to the threat of unannounced missile launches, which have been witnessed by some passengers on commercial flights. North Korea also asked ICAO for access to US-produced aeronautical charts, they said. That compares with over 13 million seats available in the South Korean market, which has roughly double the population, CAPA said. The biggest beneficiaries of lifting air restrictions over North Korea would be South Korean carriers including Korean Air Lines and Asiana Airlines Inc, according to CAPA. South and North Korea, meanwhile, have rapidly advanced relations, which prompted US officials to openly warn against moving too quickly without sufficient progress on denuclearisation.

Source: bd News24 February 18, 2019 00:00 UTC