Air Busan Increases Busan~Guam Route to Twice Weekly, First Flight Operated

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Hyun-seok] Air Busan announced on the 1st that it has officially resumed flights on the Busan-Guam route, starting with flight BX614 from Busan to Guam.

Air Busan resumed operations on the Busan-Guam route on the 30th of last month with 97 passengers on board and will operate twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays from this month. The Busan-Guam flights depart from Gimhae International Airport at 8:05 AM and arrive at the local airport at 1:05 PM. The return flights depart from the local airport at 3:05 PM and arrive at Gimhae International Airport at 6:30 PM. The flight time is approximately 4 hours, and the new A321neo aircraft with 220 seats will be deployed.

With the decrease in COVID-19 cases and the exemption of self-quarantine for overseas arrivals, Air Busan expects a surge in overseas travel bookings, including Guam. Guam is especially popular for honeymoon travel, and inquiries for honeymoon trips are rapidly increasing. Recently, as golf has gained popularity among the MZ generation, demand for golf trips is also expected to expand, making Guam one of the most preferred overseas travel destinations for the time being. In fact, the number of reservations for the May 3rd flight reached 121, about ten times higher than the average of 13 passengers in January.

Air Busan has a special attachment to the Busan-Guam route. To satisfy the overseas travel demand and prevent the collapse of the travel industry in the Busan area, Air Busan persistently persuaded health authorities and others, finally resuming the Busan-Guam route in November last year. However, due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, the airline continued operating with an average of only about 10 passengers before suspending the route in February.

An Air Busan official said, “Operating at least twice a week is necessary to provide conditions for travelers to use the service. We are pleased that after extensive efforts to obtain permission for twice-weekly flights, the frequency has increased, allowing many people to travel more conveniently.” He added, “We recommend using Air Busan to visit Guam, which offers safety and a variety of attractions and activities, to fully relieve the pent-up desire for overseas travel.”

Meanwhile, passengers entering Guam must carry ▲ an English certificate of completed vaccination ▲ a negative COVID-19 test result taken within one day before departure ▲ and a signed declaration of a negative test result from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).