CHINESE budget carrier Spring Airlines will launch flights from Shanghai to Thailand in July, and to South Korea in August.

Spring will mount daily Shanghai (Pudong)-Bangkok flights starting July 20. The carrier will also commence operations to South Korea in August, with four-weekly Shanghai-Cheongju and thrice-weekly Shanghai-Jeju services.

Currently operating to Ibaraki, Takamatsu and Saga in Japan, Spring will position fares for its Thailand and South Korea services in the same range as its Japanese flights – around ¥4,000 (US$51) one-way when the Shanghai-Ibaraki route was first introduced.

The carrier is also considering starting flights to other South Korean destinations to facilitate growing business traffic to and from China. New routes to Malaysia are also in the pipeline.