By Lee Hyo-sik
Aviation authorities in South Korea and Macao have signed an open skies agreement allowing airlines of both sides to operate as many passenger flights as they want to.
The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said Tuesday that it reached the liberalization accord with its Macao counterpart after a two-day meeting held in the special administrative region of China on Nov. 22 and 23. It said the pact will boost economic and cultural exchanges between the two.
“National flagship carriers and low-cost airlines from both sides have already been allowed to operate as many cargo planes as necessary. This liberalization accord for passenger services will surely increase the number of business and leisure travelers between the two,” a ministry official said. “Korean travelers seeking to tour the city famous for casinos and nearby Hong Kong will benefit from a more convenient flight schedule and lower airfares as a result of intensifying competition among air carriers.”
Currently, Jin Air operates on the Incheon-Macao route five times a week, while Air Macao flies between the two destinations seven times a week.
He also expected the latest open skies agreement will increase the number of travelers between Korea and Hong Kong. “The passenger flight services sector between Korea and Hong Kong has not been liberalized. It takes only an hour to go to Hong Kong from Macao by a ferry and most Korean travelers seek to tour both destinations at the same time. In this sense, it is as though we have secured more flight slots to Hong Kong,” he said.
The official then said the liberalization pact will bring more Chinese tourists from not only Macao, but also Hong Kong and its surrounding areas, into the country.
When asked about whether it will fly to Macao, Korean Air, the country’s largest flagship carrier, said it will take a wait-and-see approach for the time being.
“Our affiliate Jin Air is already offering passenger flight services. Also, we maintain a code share program with Air Macao, meaning travelers can purchase seats from us and fly with Air Macao. We have no reason to rush to launch flights on the Incheon-Macao route,” a Korean Air spokesman said.
Asiana Airlines said it has no plan yet to operate on the route.