The number shows that the airline has served an increasing number of passengers amid growing demand for low-cost travel on domestic and international routes.

Air Busan currently operates a fleet of 20 planes -- six 152-seat A320 jets and 14 larger A321 jets -- and flies 27 routes including 23 international destinations.

 In 2016, the country's six budget carriers -- Jin Air, Jeju Air, Air Busan Co., Air Seoul Inc., Easter Jet Co. and T'way Air Co. -- transported 56.8 percent of passengers on domestic routes and 19.6 percent of passengers traveling abroad. The figures were up from 54.6 percent and 14.6 percent a year earlier, respectively, data provided by Jin Air showed.

Jin Air is the budget carrier unit of the national flag carrier Korean Air Lines Co. and Air Busan and Air Seoul are low-cost carrier units of Asiana Airlines Inc., the country's second-biggest carrier by sales.

Last year, passengers on domestic routes jumped 11 percent on-year to 30.91 million and passengers on international routes climbed 19 percent to 73 million, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation. (Yonhap)