Busan-Bali flight route to launch this week as 1st long-haul service outside capital region

BUSAN, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- A direct flight route connecting South Korea's regional airport in Busan to Bali, Indonesia, is set to begin service this week as the first long-haul direct line outside the capital area, the city government said Tuesday.

Starting Wednesday, a flight will operate between Busan to Bali four times a week, marking the first direct route of more than 5,000 kilometers established outside the greater Seoul region, the Busan city government said.

The announcement came after the city requested the transport ministry to expand traffic rights of Gimhae International Airport in Busan, located some 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, to establish new direct routes to Bali and Jakarta earlier this year.

In a subsequent bilateral aviation agreement, the South Korean and Indonesian governments agreed to open two new flight routes from Busan to Jakarta and Bali, with weekly frequencies of seven and four flights, respectively.

The new route to Bali is expected to alleviate the inconveniences passengers currently face of having to travel to Incheon or overseas to board direct flights to the island, while also attracting more Indonesian tourists to South Korea.

The city is currently in discussions with local and major foreign airlines to establish new direct flight routes to Helsinki, Warsaw and the Americas, for which it has also obtained traffic rights.

"Starting with the flight route to Indonesia, we will establish various overseas flight networks connecting to the Americas and Europe to strengthen the status of Busan as a global hub city and to build the grounds for the successful opening of a new airport on Gadeok Island," Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon said.

sookim@yna.co.kr
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