Direct Flights from Busan to Bali! First Long-Haul Route to Launch This Year

Busan-Jakarta (Air Busan 3 times, Jin Air 4 times), Busan-Bali 4 times (Air Busan 4 times)

The only regional airport to newly secure two long-haul international routes over 5,000 km

Busan City has secured new traffic rights for two long-haul international routes departing from Busan: Busan-Jakarta and Busan-Bali.

This follows the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's (MOLIT) subsequent measures after the Korea-Indonesia aviation talks on February 2, where new traffic rights for seven weekly flights per route were established for two local airport routes: Jakarta and Bali.

On the 24th, MOLIT allocated these new traffic rights to airlines through the Air Traffic Review Committee.

The newly secured rights are for seven weekly flights to Jakarta (three for Air Busan and four for Jin Air) and four weekly flights to Bali (all four for Air Busan). Busan is the only regional airport to secure two long-haul international routes exceeding 5,000 km.

With the launch of direct flights from Busan to Indonesia (Jakarta and Bali), the inconvenience faced by business travelers in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region, who previously had to use Incheon Airport, will be significantly alleviated. Additionally, attracting inbound tourists from Indonesia is expected to boost the local economy.

Indonesia has a high annual demand for business travel, as many footwear manufacturing, materials, and parts companies from the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region have entered the market.

In particular, despite Bali being a region with high tourism demand, it has been difficult to establish direct flights from Busan since 2012 due to the lack of increased traffic rights between the two countries.

This achievement is especially significant as it enables the first long-haul routes departing from Busan. It is the result of the city’s persistent efforts, including requests to MOLIT for increased Busan-designated traffic rights, proposals for new mid- and long-haul international routes, and financial support for charter flights.

Since 2016, the city has consistently explained the need for increased Busan-designated traffic rights, the necessity of direct routes, requests for more rights through aviation talks, and the justification for allocating traffic rights to Busan, making 32 appeals to MOLIT and other authorities.

Last year, the city also revised ordinances to allow support for long-haul charter flights and provided financial assistance to Air Busan and Jeju Air for Bali charter operations.

The city plans to accelerate consultations with airlines to ensure that residents of the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region can use direct flights to Indonesia within the year, and will actively support the stable operation of these routes.

Mayor Park Hyungjoon stated, "With this allocation of traffic rights, we expect the first long-haul routes from Busan to be launched within the year," adding, "Taking this opportunity of securing Indonesia routes, the city will further focus on opening direct routes from Busan to Europe and the United States, actively prepare for the opening of the Gadeokdo New Airport, and establish Busan as a true global hub city."