Air China likely to transport giant panda Fu Bao to parents' home country

Fu Bao, the first Korea-born giant panda, eats bamboo at Everland amusement park in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Dec. 20, 2023. Yonhap

The first giant panda born in Korea is expected to be delivered to her parents' home country by Air China, not Korean Air. But the specific timing of Fu Bao's transfer to China is under discussion.

Everland, the country’s largest theme park operated by Samsung C&T in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, and the China Wildlife Conservation Association have been discussing how to send Fu Bao to her parents' home country, according to sources in the local tourism and travel industry, Monday.

However, according to media reports, Fu Bao will travel to China on Air China, the country's flag carrier, instead of Korean Air, at the request of the Chinese side.

Fu Bao’s parents Le Bao and Ai Bao came to Korea in 2016 via Korean Air, the country’s leading full-scale carrier that has planes equipped with temperature and air circulation processors suitable for professional animal transportation.

“The details of Fu Bao’s travel are still being discussed,” an Everland official said, adding the company will announce the date and travel route of her journey as soon as possible in order to soothe Koreans’ sadness over parting with the much-loved panda.

Born on July 20, 2020, between two pandas sent to Korea from China in March 2016 as a symbol of bilateral relations on a 15-year contract, Fu Bao became a national sensation for her cute appearance, playful behavior and special chemistry with her zookeeper, who calls himself “Fu Bao’s grandfather.”

Meanwhile, there has been attention on the return journeys of giant pandas, including ones that were born overseas.

The Singapore-born giant panda cub Le Le flew to China via Singapore Airlines last week, while three U.S.-based giant pandas — Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji — went to China on a FedEx Express charter flight from Washington, D.C. last November.

Europe-based giant pandas, including France-born Yuan Meng, Dutch-born Fan Xing and Germany-born twins Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan took an Air China flight last year to China.

Fu Bao will leave Korea before her fourth birthday on July 20 this year.