South Korea, Algeria Agree To Launch Direct Air Services

According to Yonhap, South Korea and Algeria have agreed to establish direct air services and designate traffic rights, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Monday. The two countries signed an air services agreement in January 2005 that took effect in July 2009, but direct flights had not started because the traffic rights had not been negotiated. The sides agreed to assign traffic rights for up to four weekly passenger and cargo flights. South Korea currently has only one direct route to Africa, the Incheon-Addis Ababa service to Ethiopia, despite rising demand for intercontinental travel. A ministry official said the deal is expected to draw traffic to and from Algeria and also funnel transfer passengers from across Africa and some Mediterranean countries to South Korea.