Asiana Airlines, the country’s second-largest air carrier, has launched a direct air route to Italy’s Venice that operates three times a week, marking the first case among East Asian airlines, according to company officials.

A launch ceremony took place Tuesday at the presence of Asiana Airlines CEO Kim Soo-cheon and other officials at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1, the company said.

Venice is the local carrier’s sixth direct European destination following Frankfurt, London, Paris, Istanbul and Rome.

For improved customer service, the new route will head to Venice every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday via 300 seat B777-200 aircraft equipped with “Business Smartium” seats that can recline up to 180 degrees.

To promote the new route, the company will hold various discount promotions and special mark offs on all routes to Europe until July 30.

Round trip tickets from Incheon to Venice start at 900,000 won ($840.7), the company said.

Details of the event are posted on Asiana Airlines website www.flyasiana.com.

Seeking to expand the number of its long-distance routes, Asiana Airlines is set to offer charter flights to Oslo, Norway in July and open a new route to Barcelona, Spain, in August.

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)