After tension with China over the deployment of the U.S.-led terminal high-altitude area defense antimissile system stopped Chinese tourists from visiting Korea, LCCs specializing in short-haul overseas travel quickly sought out alternative destinations. Korea’s largest LCC Jeju Air said its focus on Japan and Southeast Asian destinations, favored by Korean travelers, was a big driver for growth. Jin Air also credited its growth to flight service diversification. Airlines are still in the process of expanding their travel routes. Eastar Jet will introduce a service to Da Nang, Vietnam, in June and Sapporo, Japan, in July. By the second half of the year, it will also start services to Kyushu and Nagoya in Japan. T’way Air diversified its routes by creating flight services that depart from various regional airports in Korea including Daegu, Busan and Jeju. “Airlines posted positive first quarter earnings despite soaring oil prices largely thanks to strong demand for overseas travel,” said Choi Go-woon, an analyst from Korea Investment & Securities. “Budget airlines, which had struggled in business in traditional low seasons, will see continuous performance growth now that people enjoy traveling abroad, especially to Japan and Southeast Asia, regardless of the season.” During the same period, the combined operating profits of full service carriers Korean Air and Asiana Airlines grew 14.2 percent to 241.1 billion won.