Korean Air's low-cost carrier Jin Air has dramatically curtailed its international expansion plans, citing poor passenger demand.

Jin Air was planning to launch services at the end of this month to Bangkok and Macau, and have services to Osaka Kansai, Weihai in China and Guam in the Pacific by mid-January.

But a Jin spokesman says the launch of the Seoul Incheon-Bangkok service, which will be its first international service, has been delayed to 21 December.

Plans to launch services to Macau, Osaka Kansai, Weihai and Guam "are still alive" but no new dates have been set, says the spokesman.

Jin Air was planning to add a fifth Boeing 737-800 in October to aid its expansion, but it has delayed this to next year, he says.

The international expansion is being delayed "because of the swine flu outbreak [around the world] that has deeply affected" demand for international passenger services, he adds.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news