South Korean budget carrier Air Premia Co. said Wednesday it has opened cargo flights to Vietnam to ride out the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

It is Air Premia's second cargo-only international route after the carrier began to offer cargo flights to Singapore last month.

The company said it will consider starting passenger flights on the routes depending on the condition of the pandemic.

In November, the carrier partnered with French air cargo services agent ESG Group to offset low demand in the passenger business division amid the pandemic.

Air Premia opened the Gimpo-Jeju route in August, one month after it obtained government approval for offering commercial flight services.

This year, the company is planning more cargo flights to other Southeast Asian countries and the United States. It operates a 309-seat B787-9 passenger jet and plans to add another B787-9 plane to its fleet.

South Korea has two full-service carriers -- Korean Air Lines Co. and Asiana Airlines Inc. -- and 10 low-cost carriers, including Jeju Air, Jin Air, Air Busan Co., Air Seoul Inc., Eastar Jet, T'way, Fly Gangwon, Air Premia and Air Incheon Co.

Air Incheon is a cargo-focused carrier, and the nine other low-cost ones are passenger carriers. (Yonhap)