Asiana Airlines said it will temporarily suspend flights to Chengdu, the capital of China's quake-hit Sichuan Province. Asiana normally operates four flights per week between Incheon and Chengdu.

Following the massive earthquake, the airline has decided to temporarily suspend all passenger flights to Chendu from May 21 to 31, restoring two flights per week in June.

Instead, Asiana will operate special intermittent cargo flights carrying relief materials donated by the Korean government to the disaster area. Chinese airlines have also suspended flights on the Incheon-Chengdu route, including Air China and Sichuan Airlines

Many people have been canceling planned trips to China in the wake of the earthquake. Hana Tour has had all tour reservations for Sichuan canceled and has made no new bookings. Other travel agencies such as Mode Tour have also suspended tours to the area, including to Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou.

Tourism to China is expected to fall sharply as entry visa requirements become more stringent and the threat of a disease epidemic rises, in addition to earthquake damage.