K-Pop, K-Drama, 'K-Biheung'... Gaining Attention Overseas, Air Busan's 'No-Landing Sightseeing Flight' Continues

Japan NHK Broadcast and France's Largest Private TV Channel TF1 Focused Coverage and Reporting

Non-Stop Overseas Travel, In-Flight Duty-Free Shopping... Introducing Korea's Unique Tourism Attractions

A scene from the Air Busan non-stop international sightseeing flight report featured on Japan's NHK broadcast on the 18th.

AIR BUSAN aircraft.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] K-pop, K-drama, ... There was also K-flight!

International attention is focused on the 'killer product' of domestic airlines, the non-landing international sightseeing flights launched to overcome the COVID-19 crisis.

According to Air Busan, on the 18th, Japan's public broadcaster NHK Fukuoka covered Air Busan's non-landing international sightseeing flight for about five minutes on its evening news program.

The broadcast introduced the boarding rate, flight route, and in-flight events of Air Busan's non-landing flight.

It was described as a "new travel content where passengers can enjoy sightseeing over Japan's airspace without landing in Japan and also shop for duty-free goods onboard."

There was also overseas media interest in Air Busan's non-landing international sightseeing flights.

In March last year, it was featured on the weekend news program of TF1, France's largest private TV channel. Then in June, it was reported on NHK World's international satellite broadcast in Japan.

An Air Busan official said, "Since we were the first to start non-landing sightseeing flights domestically, we seem to be receiving many inquiries from overseas media."

Air Busan will continue operating non-landing international sightseeing flights in March as well.

During March, there will be 4 flights from Gimhae International Airport, 2 flights from Gimpo International Airport, and 2 flights from Incheon International Airport.

From Gimhae Airport, one flight each will operate on March 12 (Sat), March 19 (Sat), March 26, and March 27. From Gimpo Airport, flights will operate on March 19 (Sat) and March 26, and from Incheon Airport on March 12 (Sat) and March 26.

The flights departing from Gimhae Airport take about 1 hour and 30 minutes, circling over Tsushima Island, then Saga and Kumamoto in western Kyushu, Japan, before returning to Gimhae Airport.

Also, flights departing from Gimpo and Incheon Airports take about 2 hours, flying over Daegu and Busan, then to Tsushima Island airspace before returning.

Among the 8 non-landing international sightseeing flights in March, Air Busan will sell 5 flights (March 12, 19, 27 from Gimhae Airport; March 12, 26 from Incheon Airport) directly through its website. The remaining 3 flights will operate as charter flights in partnership with Lotte Duty Free.

Passengers on the non-landing international sightseeing flights can purchase various products at discounted prices through Air Busan's online in-flight duty-free shop.

In-flight duty-free goods cannot be ordered on-site and can only be purchased by pre-ordering through Air Busan's online in-flight duty-free shop.

An Air Busan official explained, "Although non-landing sightseeing flights are operated in some other countries, there are not as many consistent flights as in Korea, so overseas media are interested in Air Busan, which operates the most flights."

He added, "Since it is well received overseas as a 'unique Korean flight,' we will enhance safety and quarantine measures to increase customer satisfaction."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.