An Air Seoul aircraft/ Korea Times file

Air Seoul, a Korean budget carrier, said Thursday it will resume its flights on the routes from Incheon to Osaka and Fukuoka this month as Japan has eased travel restrictions despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

In September, Japan announced it will lift the ban on the number of inbound passengers and resume visa-free travel for visitors from specific countries, including Korea, from Oct. 11.

Air Seoul initially plans to offer one flight a week on the routes to Osaka and Fukuoka starting Sunday, with a plan to double the number of flights from Nov. 21, the company said in a statement.

The company will increase the number of flights on the Incheon-Tokyo route from two to seven beginning Sunday and double the number from Nov. 21, it said, adding the Incheon-Takamatsu route will be available on Nov. 23.

Air Seoul, the budget carrier unit of Asiana Airlines, has provided services on domestic routes and some international routes to Guam, Vietnam and the Philippines.

It operates six chartered A321-200 passenger jets. (Yonhap)