INCHEON Airport is banking on its short connecting times to position itself as a hub for onward travellers flying beyond South Korea.

In a joint presentation with Korean Air for Singapore’s travel specialists and media yesterday, the airport’s deputy director for aviation marketing, Park Hak-Soon, showcased its capacity as “Asia’s transfer hub”.

Qualifications Park cited include a network of 183 destinations worldwide including extensive connections to China, Japan and South-east Asia, a luggage check-through system, as well as a myriad of entertainment options.

Minimum connecting time is also the “world’s shortest”, he added, at 45 minutes for onward transfer via Korean Air, and 70 minutes for transfer via other carriers.

Korean Air corporate account manager, Phua Rouyi, told TTG Asia e-Daily: “Korean Air is targeting to increase the market share of passengers travelling from Singapore to the US, Japan and China.”

Phua added: “For the first four months (this year), our passenger number increased 20 per cent year on year. On a yearly basis, transit passengers comprise 25 per cent of our overall passengers and the most popular destinations are the US, Japan and China.

“In May, we launched a daily non-stop service to Houston (TTG Asia e-Daily, February 6, 2014). Compared to other airlines, we have the best connection time. Houston is our key destination to promote this year as there are many companies in Houston with their base in Singapore.”

Toh Li Ling, ticketing manager of Excellence Travel which had only specialised in outbound MICE trips until last August when it added a retail department, told TTG Asia e-Daily: “Corporates typically look first for flight timings and low incidence of delays, then cost. Korean Air is not bad in these areas, so there is a chance to push it to corporates, although Singapore Airlines (SIA) has always been the choice.

“Now that we have FIT clients, we can try to push Korean Air to them too. However, it also depends on destination choices; SIA has more direct flights from Singapore, while corporates don’t like to waste time transiting.”

THAILAND’S army has imposed nationwide martial law following six months of political turmoil that has led to a contracting economy and dipping tourist arrivals (TTG Asia e-Daily, December 5, 2013), but the army has said this will not affect day-to-day operations in the country.

During the announcement aired early this morning on local television, Royal Thai Army chief general Prayuth Chan-ocha insisted the declaration was not a coup and urged the population to stay calm and carry on their lives as normal.

Under martial law, the army will have control over national security, but the government and the police will remain in command of other tasks.

While not likely to affect day-to-day operations, military troops on the streets will become more commonplace and it also remains to be seen how Thailand’s latest invocation of the martial law will impact the country.

In an email this morning, Destination Asia Thailand said: “Our day-to-day operations and ground services continue to operate as normal, and our daily sightseeing tours are continuing as scheduled. Currently there are no movement restrictions nor have night time curfews been imposed. These two stipulations are subject to change under martial law.”

“All areas outside Bangkok and other tourist destinations within Thailand such as Phuket, Samui, Hua Hin, Pattaya and Chiang Mai remain fully operational and are not overly affected,” it added.

Meanwhile, anti-government protestors have announced they would suspend their rallies for the time being.

Thailand’s airports and public transport systems like the Bangkok BTS Skytrain and MRT subway trains are operating as usual, although checkpoints have been set up at several roads in the capital, resulting in bad traffic.