Guam and Saipan Flights from Busan to Open Within the Year... Air Busan Records Zero COVID-19 Cases on Busan-Qingdao Route for One Year

97 Flights Operated and Over 10,000 Passengers Transported Since Resumption in October Last Year, No In-Flight COVID-19 Cases

Expanding International Tourism Between Busan~Guam and Busan~Saipan Within the Year in Line with Gradual Return to Normal

Air Busan aircraft.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Air Busan is gearing up to resume its international tourism routes departing from Busan within this year.

Currently, the only active Air Busan overseas route at Gimhae Airport is Busan~Qingdao.

It has been one year since Air Busan resumed its Busan~Qingdao route, and investigations show that there have been no confirmed COVID-19 cases onboard.

Air Busan announced on the 13th that it has safely transported about 10,000 passengers since October of last year.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, Air Busan temporarily suspended the Busan~Qingdao route in accordance with the government's unified entry policy at Incheon Airport. The route resumed operations on October 15 last year and is currently operating once a week.

Since resuming operations, 97 flights have been operated, carrying a total of 11,210 passengers.

Currently, the Busan-Qingdao route is the only international route at Gimhae Airport. It is the only international route besides Incheon Airport that offers full round-trip service.

It provides transportation convenience to local residents who need essential travel such as students studying abroad, expatriates, and business travelers. It has also significantly reduced the time and cost burden for local residents who otherwise would have to travel from Incheon Airport back to Busan.

There have been no confirmed COVID-19 cases onboard since the route resumed.

Air Busan explained that it has thoroughly implemented onboard quarantine measures, including ▲thermal camera fever checks before boarding ▲setting a disinfection zone (ZONE) in the rear rows of the aircraft ▲constant disinfection of frequently used onboard facilities.

Based on its stable operation experience of the Qingdao route, Air Busan plans to resume international routes departing from Busan such as Busan~Guam and Busan~Saipan within this year, in line with the government’s phased plan for daily recovery.

An Air Busan official said, “We are promoting the resumption of international flights departing from Busan mainly to countries with excellent quarantine records within this year,” adding, “As international flights gradually expand, it will provide relief to the local tourism and duty-free industries facing difficulties and revive the image of Busan as an international tourist city.”