Celebrating the fifth year of its operation between Incheon and Honolulu, Hawaiian Airlines said Tuesday it would offer customized services and safety for passengers, and make continuous investments to maintain its growth in the Korean market.

In the latest move aimed at expanding its presence in the Asia’s fourth-largest economy, the air carrier appointed a Korean aviation expert Yu Soo-jin as its new country director earlier this month.

Mark Dunkerley, CEO and president of Hawaiian Airlines told reporters in Seoul that the appointment was made to better understand the Korean market with a growing demand for Hawaii as a vacation destination, and represents “our desire to invest in Korea more heavily.”

The number of visitors surged from 80,000 in 2010 to 180,000 in 2014, he said, adding that the air carrier has transported nearly 600,000 passengers on its Incheon-Honolulu route since its operation in 2011.

Speaking on the impact of Korean budget carrier Jin Air’s operation between the two cities, Dunkeley said he expects an increase in demand for Hawaii as a travel destination, but stressed that Hawaiian Airlines would remain competitive for its customized services that cannot be replicated by competitors. Safety is another strong point, he said, adding that Hawaiian Airlines is one of the two air carriers in the world with no accident reported so far.

To enhance passenger convenience, the air carrier plans to install lie-flat seats in business class, starting this summer.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)