Eastar Jet converts Incheon-Manado route to scheduled service

Eastar Jet announced Tuesday it will convert its Incheon-Manado route to a scheduled service.

The airline became the first carrier to launch the Incheon-Manado route last October, operating it as a charter service in which all seats were sold through travel agencies. Starting this month, it will transition to scheduled operation.

The route will run daily, seven days a week. Outbound flights depart Incheon International Airport at 8:25 p.m., while inbound flights leave Manado's Sam Ratulangi International Airport at around 2:20 a.m. local time. The flight takes approximately five hours and 30 minutes.

Manado, in Indonesia's North Sulawesi province, remains a relatively unknown resort destination among Korean travelers, but the route has maintained steady demand since Eastar Jet began flying there. The average load factor from May through the present has reached about 93 percent.

Building on that strong demand, Eastar Jet pursued the conversion to scheduled service and received traffic rights for the route from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport last April.

With the switch to scheduled service, individual travelers can now purchase tickets directly through the Eastar Jet website and mobile app.

To mark the conversion, the airline launched a promotional fare campaign on its website starting at 2 p.m. Tuesday. One-way tickets including a free checked bag are available from 168,100 won ($121), with hotel accommodation vouchers and activity passes offered as prizes.

"Many popular resort destinations were once unfamiliar to travelers, but grew into mainstream tourist spots as expanded air access made them easier to reach," an Eastar Jet official said. "We will work to develop the Manado route so that it, too, can establish itself as a new favorite destination."

Meanwhile, Eastar Jet has been actively expanding its fleet to improve service. Following the addition of its 22nd and 23rd aircraft in August, the carrier took delivery of its 24th plane on Sunday.