Cold Water on the 4th Wave of COVID-19
No Inquiries Three Days Before First Flight
On the 7th, at the quarantine station of Incheon International Airport Terminal 1, Korean residents, international students, and foreigners who arrived from Frankfurt, Germany after vaccination were lined up waiting, as the daily number of COVID-19 confirmed cases exceeded 1,200 and imported cases continued to rise steadily. On this day, for the first time since COVID-19, 10,000 people entered Incheon International Airport in one day. Yeongjongdo - Photo by Airport Photo Journalists Group
[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] The first domestic 'Travel Bubble (Safe Travel Zone)' flight, which had raised expectations for quarantine-free overseas travel, has fallen into a temporary suspension even before its launch due to the reality of the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Concerns are growing that the barely opened international travel route may close again before it even begins.
According to the aviation and travel industry on the 21st, the total number of Travel Bubble reservations departing from Incheon Airport to Saipan on the 24th through the country's three major travel agencies (Hana, Modu, Interpark Tour) was counted as only 1 group, totaling 2 people, as of the previous day.
The Travel Bubble is a travel agreement that exempts quarantine upon entry between countries with excellent quarantine measures and is only available for group travel with completed vaccinations. Considering that passenger recruitment is only possible through specialized travel agencies contracted with airlines, the reservation rate for the first Travel Bubble, which is just three days away, is expected to be less than 1% in reality.
The rapid spread of the Delta variant virus immediately after the start of reservations earlier this month has been a major obstacle.
A travel agency official said, "We are recruiting for the Travel Bubble Saipan trip, but there have only been occasional inquiries about schedules during the Chuseok holiday period, and there are no travel schedule reservations yet this week." Inquiries about Travel Bubble reservations during the Chuseok period also stopped after the government's strengthened quarantine measures following the start of the fourth wave of COVID-19, dropping from an average of 5 to 10 groups earlier this month.
Asiana Airlines and Jeju Air, which are preparing for the first Travel Bubble flight, also could not hide their disappointment over the poor results.
Both airlines prepared A321 and B737-800 aircraft with about 180 seats each and set a goal to ensure local safety and convenience, but in reality, they are in a situation where they have to operate carrying only local residents and some business customers.
The industry pointed to the low domestic vaccination rate and insufficient benefits as reasons for the low Travel Bubble reservation rate. Considering that over 80% of travelers to Saipan are in their 20s and 30s, it is analyzed that the vaccination rate among this generation in Korea is significantly low. Also, even though the Travel Bubble offers quarantine exemption benefits locally, the approximately 200,000 KRW cost of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests conducted upon departure and arrival domestically is also a burden.
An aviation industry official said, "If the COVID-19 resurgence continues, it will be difficult to expect demand for the Travel Bubble," adding, "We plan to respond flexibly by reviewing the progress and adjusting the planned number of flights as needed."
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