Air Busan, Korea’s No.3 low-cost carrier by revenue, is aggressively expanding routes to Japan by increasing services to Fukuoka, Osaka and Sapporo, the firm said Tuesday.

By Oct. 25, Asiana Airlines’ budget subsidiary will begin operating four daily flights between Busan and Fukuoka, the carrier’s first international route which started with one flight a day in 2010.

“It is the first time for an airline to offer services for the same international route four times a day since Gimhae airport opened,” Busan Air CEO Han Tae-geun said.

Gimhae International Airport is the carrier’s main hub, located in the western end of Busan.

It will increase the number of flights between Busan and Osaka to 21 from the current 18 per week from October to respond to the increasing demand for connections between the two neighboring cities.

The new routes to be launched in October this year will bring to 56 the total number of Air Busan flights to Japan per week.

Last week, Air Busan said it submitted applications to the country’s aviation authorities to approve its regular flight service between Busan and Sapporo, which is expected to be announced in October.

Services will be operated three times a week with an Airbus 321, with a seating capacity of 195 passengers, if the government gives the green light for the plan.

By Park Han-na (hnpark@heraldcorp.com)