24 Sep 2008, Posted by Matt in Gyeongsang, Jeju, Seoul, Transportation, 4 Comments
Korea’s Budget Airlines Bonanza
Jin Air, a subsidiary of Korean Air, is one of Korea’s most promising new budget airlines.
Back in September of 2006, i booked a $19 (+tax) roundtrip ticket on Malaysia’s Air Asia. The prospect of being airborne for so little was intriguing. Sure, i was flying from Kuala Lumpur to the unlikely destination of Kota Bharu, but c’mon, $19? At the time, I was struck by how inexpensively one can fly in Southeast Asia… especially when originating out of KL or Bangkok. This just isn’t the case in pricey northeast Asia, where 2-hour trips between Seoul and Tokyo still can run $500+ this time of year.
But 2008 promises to fill Korea’s skies with a glut of new budget carriers. A total of 5 new airlines are launching this year, in addition to the two already in operation. Last month, the Busan-based Yeongnam Air launched its inaugural flight between Seoul’s Gimpo International (mostly domestic) and the lovely Jeju Island. By the end of the year, Yeongnam plans to service four domestic routes that concentrate on Korea’s southeastern region. In fact, bonafide Yeongnam region residents receive a 5-10% discount… which is kinda weird.
Continue Reading...
