Spring Airlines (9C, Shanghai Hongqiao) has shelved plans to begin budget flights to the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, citing market conditions among other reasons. Having secured Chinese regulatory approval in January, the LCC was to have commenced 4x weekly flights from Shanghai Pudong in February.
According to an airline source who spoke to the Yonhap News Agency on condition of anonymity, the delay is due solely to capacity limitations and has nothing to do with the recent imposition of new international sanctions against North Korea.
Following North Korea's latest round of nuclear and missile tests, the United Nations Security Council, including North Korea's traditional ally, China, adopted Resolution 2270 earlier this month which, among other measures, prohibits member states from selling or supplying aviation fuel to North Korea so that it cannot be diverted to the rogue state's ballistic missile program.
Given the overall lack of international carriers serving Pyongyang (only Air China (CA, Beijing Capital) operates regular flights), the new sanctions are expected to impact Air Koryo (JS, Pyongyang) and its operations the most.
