Air Busan "Let's Fly Again!" New Route Ready for Takeoff with Two New Aircraft Wings for the 'Post-Corona' Era!

5 New and Resumed Routes from Incheon (5) and Busan (3) Confirmed

Two Additional Latest Model A321neo Aircraft Introduced... Creating a Comfortable Cabin Environment

AIR BUSAN aircraft (HL8099).

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] As the government’s successive easing of quarantine measures raises expectations for a recovery in travel demand in the aviation industry, Air Busan is making thorough preparations to take off again in the ‘post-COVID-19’ era by pioneering new routes and introducing new aircraft.

Air Busan is targeting the metropolitan market by launching five new international routes from Incheon Airport (Narita, Osaka, Nha Trang, Kota Kinabalu, Guam).

Starting in May, Air Busan will begin operating the Incheon-Narita route on the 25th and the Incheon-Osaka route on the 27th. In June, it will launch new routes to Nha Trang, Kota Kinabalu, and Guam from Incheon, expanding its network of flights departing from Incheon.

Although its route network in the metropolitan market has been limited and market share low, Air Busan believes that now, as the overseas travel market is being reorganized from scratch due to COVID-19, is an opportune time to increase brand awareness and market share.

The route network from Gimhae Airport will also be actively expanded starting in May. Air Busan will resume operations on the Busan-Fukuoka route on the 31st of this month, and plans to resume the Busan-Da Nang and Busan-Cebu routes in June and July, respectively. Currently, Air Busan operates the Busan-Qingdao, Busan-Saipan, and Busan-Guam routes from Gimhae Airport, confirming a total of six routes.

Air Busan plans to actively pioneer air routes departing from Busan as soon as additional route operation permits are granted by the quarantine authorities and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. This is expected to enhance air travel convenience for local residents and revitalize the regional travel and tourism industry.

In addition, Air Busan has already received permission from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for 39 international scheduled routes including Japan, Southeast Asia, and Greater China, and plans to operate them promptly once permits are granted. An Air Busan official expressed confidence, saying, “If international flights from Gimhae and Incheon resume and increase as planned, we expect Air Busan to secure a competitive advantage in the reorganized aviation industry in the post-COVID-19 era.”

Air Busan is also focusing on creating a comfortable cabin environment by introducing new aircraft and returning some existing ones. Within this year, Air Busan will add two latest-model A321neo aircraft and return some older aircraft. Although Air Busan currently does not operate aircraft older than 20 years, it is proactively lowering the average age of its fleet through early returns to ensure passengers can enjoy a comfortable travel experience.

An Air Busan official said, “Preparations for reopening some overseas offices that were suspended due to COVID-19 are underway, and preparations for the post-COVID-19 era are steadily progressing in all areas of the company,” adding, “All employees will do their best with one heart and mind to ensure passengers can enjoy safe and comfortable travel,” urging travelers to take their first post-COVID-19 trip with Air Busan.