Seoul’s main airport, Incheon, was the worst affected, with passengers facing delays of about two hours on average, while 31 per cent of flights were delayed and 16 pe cent cancelled on Thursday, plane tracking website Flightradar24 showed.

South Korea grappled with heavy snowfall for a second day on Thursday, with dozens of flights cancelled, ferry operations suspended and at least four people reported dead in a bitter winter, though conditions showed signs of easing.

South Korea's capital, Seoul, has been blanketed by a record November snowfall, causing travel chaos and leaving at least five people dead.