An exterior view of Daegu City Hall's Dongin office building. [Daegu city government]
An exterior view of Daegu City Hall's Dongin office building. [Daegu city government]

Daegu city is moving to diversify international routes and improve access to Daegu International Airport as it works to restore demand for international flights that slumped after the COVID-19 pandemic and to make air travel more convenient for residents.

The city plans to establish and announce a "2027 fiscal support plan for airlines operating international routes" as part of its broader airport revitalization effort, city officials said Tuesday.

The plan is designed to encourage airlines to launch new international routes and increase flight frequencies, boosting carrier competitiveness and expanding passengers' route options.

Under the plan, the city will extend the support period for new regular route launches and frequency increases from one year to two. It will also shift from a loss-compensation model to an incentive-based operating subsidy, and will make existing carriers eligible for support if they expand their services.

The minimum operating threshold for charter routes will be lowered from eight to six flights, encouraging a wider range of international routes tailored to seasonal demand.

The city also plans to strengthen support for inbound routes aimed at attracting foreign tourists and to boost promotional efforts for newly launched routes.

On the access front, the city will commission a study this year on expanding parking capacity to address a shortage. Beginning in 2027, it plans to operate shuttle services connecting the airport to major tourism destinations in North Gyeongsang Province — including Andong, Pohang and Gyeongju — in conjunction with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's wide-area tourism transport innovation pilot project.

The city expects the expansion of international routes and increased competition among airlines to lower fares while contributing to the growth of local tourism and consumer spending.

"The successful opening of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk New Airport begins with revitalizing the current Daegu International Airport," Daegu Mayor Choo Kyung-ho said. "We will spare no effort at the city level to expand Daegu's air connections and ensure that the benefits flow through to the local economy and tourism."


kbj7653@heraldcorp.com