Three budget airlines to become one

Three high-profile low-cost air carriers in South Korea will soon be just one. 

Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul will merge into a single airline, news hub Travel Mole reports. 

The trio will become a single entity on March 17, 2027, creating the country’s largest budget carrier.

The airlines’ boards approved the merger agreement this month but the deal still requires shareholder approval in December and regulatory clearances before the new airline can begin operating.

The combined carrier will operate under the Jin Air name, while the Air Busan and Air Seoul brands will disappear.

The merger follows the planned integration of parent companies Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. 

Korean Air is scheduled to complete its merger with Asiana on December 17, 2026. 

The three low-cost airlines had a combined fleet of 58 aircraft at the end of 2025. That would put the new carrier ahead of T’way Air and Jeju Air by fleet size, making it South Korea’s biggest LCC.

Jin Air plans to combine the three airlines’ fleets, routes, maintenance operations and other resources to generate economies of scale. 

Korean airlines all set for merger

Korea's two largest airlines are all set to complete their merger later this year. 

Korean Air's board of directors and Asiana Airlines’ shareholders have formally approved the agreement as the two airlines prepare to launch an integrated airline on December 17. 

Korean Air’s board ratified the merger agreement last week, fulfilling small-scale merger requirements under Article 527-3 of Korea’s Commercial Act, news hub Travel Mole reported.

Concurrently, Asiana Airlines secured shareholder approval during an extraordinary general meeting, with 81.86% shareholder attendance and 99.3% voting in favour.

These approvals formally ratify the merger agreement executed by both boards in May. 

Following creditor protection procedures and remaining administrative formalities, the corporate merger registration will be completed on December 17, 2026.

Korean Air continues to advance its Post-Merger Integration (PMI) roadmap. Following conditional merger approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) on June 25 and clearance of its merger registration statement on July 24, the airline is proceeding with Air Operator Certificate (AOC) amendments and international operational permits in close consultation with relevant authorities.

With merger approvals finalised, the two airlines are accelerating operational readiness, focusing on systems integration, joint training, and team engagement ahead of the launch. 

The birth of the integrated flag carrier will mark the completion of a consolidation process spanning over five years.

For passengers, it translates into nu,erous service upgrades, from lounge renewals, catering updates to terminal relocations to improve the traveler’s experience.

Tasmanian wine producer targeting Korean market

South Korea and India are largely unexplored export destinations for Australian wine producers.

Both have large populations with increasingly western focused young populations offering immense potential.

Josef Chromy Wines from Tasmania is one the wineries taking advantage and has partnered with Choix Trading to launch in South Korea’s on-trade sectors, wine industry news hub the drinks business has reported.

Choix Trading is operated by Avec Wine, an importer and distributor with offices in Seoul and Busan.

Avec says on its website: “We import and distribute wines that are not merely for drinking and getting drunk, but to further enhance gatherings with good people."

Josef Chromy Wines has worked with Choix Trading to launch a collection targeting leading Korean sommeliers and hospitality venues. 

The South Korean collection features Josef Chromy Riesling 2024; Chardonnay 2024; Pinot Noir 2024; Sparkling Cuvée NV; Sparkling Rosé NV; and Zdar Chardonnay 2024.

Founded by transplanted Czech native Josef Chromy in 2007, the estate boasts a 61-hectare vineyard at Relbia, south of Launceston.

Choix Trading is a boutique importer recently established to concentrate on higher-end vintages for on-trade channels.

“Josef Chromy Wines represents the type of high quality, terroir-driven estate we are committed to introducing to South Korea’s on-trade market,” said Taeho Choi, CEO with Choix Trading.

“We look forward to building the brand with our on-trade partners and sharing Tasmania’s distinctive cool-climate style with the Korean hospitality sector.”

South Korea in new push for more visitors

South Korea wants more tourists - but wants them outside the busy metropolis of its capital, Seoul (above).

The Asian nation this week launched a K-tourism innovation task force, a new initiative aimed at boosting visitor arrivals.

The public-private partnership is tasked with promoting more visitation by leveraging the global interest in Korean culture, news hub Travel Mole reports.

The task force is led by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi-young, and includes more than 20 members across government, academia and the private sector.

The new body plans to meet bi-monthly to discuss strategy to increase inbound tourism, and improve visitation numbers to regional destinations.

The task force includes representatives from the Korea Tourism Organization, Korea Airports Corp., Korea Railroad Corp., and Korea Transport Institute.

Minister Chae said it aims to take a leaf out of Japan’s tourism playbook: “Although K-culture is enjoying enormous global influence, we need to carefully examine what Japan has done well over the past decade.”

One of the main challenges is dispersing tourism away from the Seoul metropolitan area to lesser-visited regional destinations, he said.

This includes encouraging airlines to launch more flights to the regions.

“With the K-tourism innovation task force, we will move beyond Seoul and ensure that communities across the country share in the benefits of a thriving tourism ecosystem,” Chae said.

Tourists continue to flock to Japan

Japan’s tourism boom is showing no signs of slowing down.

The country notched up 21.5 million arrivals in the first half of 2025, a 21% jump from last year and a record high for the period, the Japan National Tourism Organization announced this week.

Tourist spending in the first six months of the year also reached new heights - 4.8 trillion yen, a roughly 23% year-over-year increase.

South Korea represented the largest source of visitors with 4.78 million travellers, a 7.7% increase from last year, China registered a major increase - a 53.5% jump to 4.71 million visitors.

In addition, Japan saw double-digit percentage increases in visitors from Taiwan and the US, although numbers from Hong Kong dipped.

Japan set a new record with 36.8 million visitors last year, and the country has set its sights on attracting 60 million tourists annually by 2030.

Japan’s top tourism source markets:
1) South Korea: 4.78 million visitors, +7.7%
2) China, 4.71 million visitors, +53.5%
3) Taiwan, 3.28 million visitors, +10.3%
4) United States, 1.7 million visitors, +26.7%
5) Hong Kong, 1.27 million visitors, -0.4%

Image; Meghan Page, Scop.io 

Airline employee allegedly targets celebrities

Look out if you are a celebrity.

Staff of the airline you are flying with might just be leaking your flight info.

Perhaps to paparazzi, maybe to stalkers. Who knows?

An incident involving South Korean boy band BTS (I thought that was the Bangkok Transport System, but there you go) recently hit the headlines.

Police are investigating an airline employee who is suspected of leaking flight details of celebrities, including those of the K-Pop stars.

South Korean police detained a woman in her 30s who is accused of selling the data.

The flight information leaked covers travel in 2023 and 2024 and allegedly covers hundreds of flights.

The woman has not been named, but works for an Asian airline.

She is suspected of using the airline’s systems to access passenger flight details including seat numbers, news portal Travel Mole reported.

South Korea police said they could expand the investigation to other people linked to the scheme.

“I initially obtained the boarding information at the request of an acquaintance, and later sold it for money,” the woman reportedly told police.

Image: Jan Niepel, Scopio 

Tourists can't get enough of Japan

Visitation to Japan hit an all-time high in the 2024 calendar year.

Japan's inbound tourism figures saw the Asian nation welcomed 36.87 million tourists - up by more than 15% on 2019’s previous best of 31.88 million people, Japan National Tourism Organisation data shows.

Major growth markets were South Korea and the US, both up nearly 60%, although the number of visitors from mainland China was down 27%, news portal Travel Mole reported.

Major Japanese travel agency group JTB has said it expects inbound Japan tourism to surpass 40 million for the first time in 2025.

Tourism-related spending by foreign visitors reached a record Y8.14 trillion ($US 52 billion) in 2024.

This is a 69% increase on pre-pandemic 2019.

*The number of foreign visitors to Japan is calculated based on immigration statistics compiled by the Ministry of Justice.

Tourism to Vietnam on the up

Vietnam is rapidly bouncing back as an Asian tourism destination.

The number of international tourists visiting Vietnam saw an impressive double digit jump in 2024, new portal Travel Mole reports.

Vietnam welcomed nearly 17.6 million tourist arrivals, data from the General Statistics Office reveals.

That is up nearly 40% on 2023 and just a little short of the pre-pandemic 2019 level.

More liberal visa policies and new airline options from carriers including Vietjet helped boost numbers in 2024.

The vast majority, nearly 15 million, of foreign tourists arrived by air.

In the opposite direction, the number of Vietnamese going overseas rose 5% to 5.3 million in 2024.

The agency said the tourism industry will fully recover to pre-pandemic levels this year, with Vietnam welcoming about 22 million international visitors.

Asia continues to dominates inbound tourism source markets.

South Korea was top in 2024, with nearly 4.57 million arrivals, up 27% from 2023. China ranked second with nearly 3.74 million arrivals.

Other top markets include Malaysia, Australia, Thailand and Cambodia.

Image: Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi: Winsor Dobbin 

Seoul Searching: Uncovering the mysteries of Korean culture

While many tourists are familiar with the history and culture of countries like Japan, China and Indonesia, South Korea remains something of a mystery. North Korea even more so.

For those who would like to delve a little more into Korean history - let's call it Seoul Searching -  the 2024 Spring K-Royal Culture Festival, in collaboration with the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, will be held in Seoul's historic royal palaces.

Their names are tongue-twisters: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung, and Gyeonghuigung, but they and the Jongmyo Shrine will host events from from April 27 to May 5.

This will be the 10th edition of the festival, which drew over 675,000 visitors last year.

The opening ceremony, themed Love for the People will re-imagine King Sejong the Great's historic proclamation of the Hunminjeongeum script in 1446.

So not an event for everyone, but certainly of interest to history buffs.

Gyeongbokgung Palace will host immersive programs offering insights into the Joseon Dynasty's royal court.

From May 1-5, the Time Travel, King Sejong program will offer a glimpse into palace life during King Sejong the Great's reign, while the Royal Music Concert - Harmony of 100 Court Musicians' Song in Peaceful Times (snappy title that), promises a showcase of traditional Korean musical instruments on May 4-5. Sweet Seoul music. 

The Palace Musical - Sejong, 1446 will return from April 28-30, while Gyeongbokgung's Heungryemun Square will host the K-Heritage Market, offering traditional crafts and cultural products in a lively atmosphere for a more mainstream audience.

There will be several other activiies dotted around the Korean capital. Advance reservations for paid programs can be made via Ticketlink, with free events also requiring reservations.

For detailed information, visit the websites Cultural Heritage Administration Royal Palaces and Tombs Center (https://royal.cha.go.kr/ENG/main/index.do), Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation (https://www.chf.or.kr/chf/eng), or K-Royal Culture Festival (https://www.chf.or.kr/fest/en).

It would probably have been easier to have one website, but maybe that is a cultural things. Or maybe not.

New Korea path from Melbourne

Seoul searching?

The South Korean carrier Asiana Airlines has unveiled plans to launch seasonal Melbourne flights linking Victoria with South Korea.

The new route will kick off from December 26, industry portal Travel Mole reports.

The full-service carrier will operate two direct flights a week between Melbourne Airport and the South Korean capital of Seoul using Airbus A350 aircraft.

With a population of more than nine million people, Seoul is a global economic hub and the major gateway for outbound tourism.

Fares are now on sale with Melbourne flights operating every Tuesday and Thursday to Seoul.

“We are excited to welcome Asiana to Melbourne and to add Seoul to our growing network," Melbourne Airport Chief of Aviation Jim Parashos said.

Melbourne Airport's ties with South Korea have been growing, with Korean-based Lotte taking over the operation of the airport’s duty free business in June.

Asiana Airlines is set to merge with national flag carrier Korean Air once approval is finalised by several overseas regulators.

Another tourism hotspot plans to tax visitors

Regular readers will have noticed a trend towards destinations imposing taxes on the visitors they try so hard to attract.

From entry taxes to bed taxes, holiday destinations are increasingly looking for their pound of financial flesh from tourists.

The South Korean resort island of Jeju - known for its many beach resorts - is the latest spot investigating new ways to gouge visitors.

It is one of the country’s top leisure destinations and is predominately visited by domestic tourists, although its popularity is growing with foreigners.

Local officials noted Jeju's popularity has led to growing garbage and sewage issues, Travel Mole reports.

Jeju is contemplating a number of different series of tourist fees, including imposing an entry fee.

It also is planning a KRW1,500 ($AU1.50) fee per night, while visitors renting a car or minivan will pay KRW5,000 and KRW10,000 respectively.

Officials at Jeju Special Self-Governing Province said the average total tourist fee would be around KRW8,170 per day, which is a fairly hefty $9.20.

New destination in South Korea opens up for Australians

Australian travellers have a new - and affordable way - to fly to South Korea.

AirAsia X today restarted direct services from Kuala Lumpur to Busan (above) with connections from Australia and New Zealand to one of the key Korean tourism destinations.

And fares from Australia to Busan start from $372.

Australians can fly from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth to Busan via Kuala Lumpur on AirAsia X.

The inaugural flight departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport yesterday, landing at Gimhae International Airport.

Busan is the airline’s 15th destination and the second in South Korea, with three times a week flights to/from Kuala Lumpur.

“Australians and New Zealanders love South Korea and Koreans love Australia and also New Zealand, which they can now fly to at great value fares connecting via our main hub in Kuala Lumpur," says AirAsia X Malaysia CEO Benyamin Ismail.

“We are excited to restart this historically very popular route and proud to be the only airline in Malaysia operating direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Busan, a city of many tourism drawcards.

“Together with our existing route to Seoul, this further strengthens our foothold in South Korea and increases our overall capacity to North Asia - one of our fastest growing markets. We will continue to look for expansion opportunities in the future and work with BTO to promote the destination globally and invigorate the tourism industry in Busan.”

Fares from Sydney/Melbourne/Perth to Busan are on sale now from $372, inclusive of airport taxes, fuel surcharges and any other applicable charges. The boking period for that fare is from now until February 19 for a travel period between February 3 and October 28.

Book through the AirAsia Super App and see https://www.visitbusan.net/.

A big Korea move for travellers

As of today, travellers to South Korea will no longer have to take a Covid-19 test prior to boarding their flight.

A post-arrival test is, however, still required, national news agency Yonhap reported.

The test will be applicable to all Koreans and foreign nationals regardless of vaccination status.

Once they have arrived, all travellers must take a PCR test within one day of landing at the airport.

Peck Kyong-ran, commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said the pre-arrival Covid-19 test requirement could be reinstated if the Covid situation deteriorates.

Over the past week South Korea has recorded a reduced number of around 90,000 cases on average a day, Travel Mole reported. Cases peaked at 180,000 a day in mid-August

South Korea is among the Asian region’s last economies to hold onto strict border controls, though China, which has an ultra-strict “zero Covid” strategy, Japan and Taiwan continue to impose extensive barriers.

Other Asian countries including Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia have lifted testing requirements in recent months as the region welcomes back travel after relying heavily on border restrictions earlier in the pandemic.

South Korea lifted quarantine requirements for vaccinated tourists in April and dropped quarantine for all arrivals regardless of vaccination status in July.

Tourists have been slow to return, however, with passenger traffic at main gateway Incheon Airport in July reaching less than one-quarter of pre-pandemic levels.

Massive expansion for Vietnam airline

Budget airline Vietjet Air has unveiled a new range of routes to and from the Vietnamese resort city of Da Nang.

Vietjet announced this week that it will start flying to Singapore, India and South Korea next month, Travel Mole reported.

It is launching services to Busan, South Korea, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Bangalore in India, as well as to Singapore.

The routes will operate between four to seven flights a week.

India was one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing markets before Covid-19 - as is the case in neighbouring Thailand.

Da Nang welcomed 3.5 million foreign visitors in 2019.

Asian nations rapidly reopening their doors

Asia is opening its doors to vaccinated travellers with good news this week for anyone wanting to visit Hong Kong, South Korea or Malaysia. 

Hong Kong will lift its flight ban on nine countries next week, signalling a major switch from its ‘zero Covid’ policy, Business Traveller reports.

Fully vaccinated Hong Kong residents from the UK, Australia, Canada, France, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines and the US will be allowed to board flights to Hong Kong from April 1 provided that they have proof of a negative PCR test.

Travellers will still need to quarantine in a hotel upon arrival in Hong Kong, but this will be cut to seven days from 14.

The city’s leader Carrie Lam announced the news at a press conference, saying the flight ban was causing distress to Hong Kong people stranded overseas and is also having an impact on the city’s businesses.

She also announced that restrictions on social gatherings, mask-wearing and business and venue operations will begin to ease in three phases from April 20.

Malaysia and South Korea plan to reopen to fully vaccinated travellers from April 1 and those two countries will not require quarantine upon entry.

Visitors to Malaysia will have to take a pre-departure PCR test and antigen test upon arrival, while travellers to South Korea who have received two doses of the vaccine, or a booster jab, will be free from quarantine requirements from April 1. 

South Korean airline giants closer to merger

Two of Asia's leading airlines have been given the go-head for a merger.

South Korea’s competition regulator this week granted conditional approval for a merger between Korean Air and smaller South Korean airline Asiana. 

The Fair Trade Commission green-lighted the move on condition the airlines relinquish some slots for routes where they have more than 50% of the market share, Travel Mole reported. 

Combined, they would operate around 48.9% of international flights from South Korea and 62% of domestic flights.

The merger will see the combined company become the 10th-largest airline in the world.

The exact number of slots and transportation rights the merged entity would have to give up will be decided later. 

Korean Air plans to form a totally integrated company with Asiana in 2024.

Korean airlines close to merger

South Korea's two major airlines: Korean Air and Asiana, are set to merge into one entity.

South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission this week signalled its conditional approval for the merger.

Korean Air has agreed to acquire 60% of Asiana Airlines with a plan to merge the two companies.

In a preliminary report, the FTC said the merged business would likely have to relinquish some slots to allow for consumer choice, Travel Mole reported.

The FTC said it has identified 10 routes on which a merger would give the airline a monopoly.

These include long haul routes to Los Angeles, New York, Barcelona, Seattle and Sydney.

"Redistribution of airport slots will allow other airlines to run flights," said Min Hye-young, an FTC spokesperson.

A final decision on the merger is expected in early 2022.

Korean Air, previously known as Korean Air Lines, is the largest airline and flag carrier of South Korea.

The present-day Korean Air was established on March 1, 1969, after the Hanjin Group purchased government-owned Korean Air Lines, which had operated since June 1962.

Asiana Airlines, also based in Seoul, was formerly known as Seoul Air and was founded 33 years ago.

It accounts for around 25% of South Korea's international aviation market and 20% of its domestic market.

Fancy a quick air taxi trip across town?

Fancy the idea of catching an air taxi helicopter for a quick trip across town?

The reality may be far closer than you think.

German urban air mobility (UAM) pioneer Volocopter has completed the first test flights with its 2X aircraft in Seoul, South Korea.

It was the first-ever crewed public test flight of a fully electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) air taxi in South Korea.

It was a milestone in Volocopter's plans for introducing air taxis globally and was overseen by the Korean Ministry for Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT).

The five-minute test flight took place at Gimpo International Airport, covered approximately 3 kilometers, reached a maximum altitude of 50 meters and maximum speeds of 45 km/h.

Florian Reuter, CEO of Volocopter, said: "With MOLIT's comprehensive K-UAM roadmap, South Korea is well positioned to achieve the goal of commercializing UAM by 2025.

"We are extremely honoured to conduct the nation's first crewed public eVTOL test flight and prove yet again that the future of air taxis is here and now with Volocopter's aircraft.

"As the pioneers of the UAM industry, we look forward to working closely with friends and partners from both the government agencies and private sectors to make UAM a reality in South Korea."

German Ambassador to South Korea Michael Reiffenstuel said: "South Korea and Germany have enjoyed a close relationship for more than a century.

"We are connected by a common experience of a divided nation and strong ties in trade, education, and technology. We strongly welcome deepened cooperation in new sectors such as digitalization, e-commerce, and urban air mobility."

Seoul is the second city in Asia that Volocopter has conducted a test flight following the first successful public flight trial over Singapore's Marina Bay area in 2019. 

Volocopter is scheduled to conduct another public test flight at Incheon airport on November 16.

See www.volocopter.com

South Korea opens its doors to European travellers

South Korea will this week lift entry restrictions for visitors from European Union member states. 

The visa waiver and visa-free entry programs for EU and Schengen Area countries will restart on September 1, Travel Mole reported.

Visits had been suspended since April 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

There is a a reciprocal deal  allowing South Korean nationals to stay up to 90 days when they enter the  EU.


France and Germany had already separately lifted restrictions for arrivals from South Korea, whose capital Seoul is pictured above

Those from EU countries as well as non-EU Schengen Zone countries, such as Norway and Iceland, can also travel to South Korea without visas for up to 90 days. 

They will, however, still be subject to mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival.

When their purpose of visit is work or employment, they still need to obtain visas, the Korean national news agency Yonhap reported.  

Asia gets a brand-new airline

South Korean airline start-up Air Premia may have spelling issues but is set to take to the skies for the first time today.

Air Premia's maiden flight is from Seoul's Gimpo Airport to Korean holiday island destination Jeju - one of the world's busiest leisure routes, Travel Mole reports.

The airline was founded in 2017 by the former president of Jeju Air, Kim Jong-Chul.

The slogan on its website says, in very shaky English, "We realize valuable premium through the convergence in contrast: the balance between customer and crew, price and comfort, innovation and discipline, profit and value, work and life."

It will fly twice daily until the end of October using its only plane, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

The airline had originally planned to focus on international routes with a launch scheduled in late 2020 but the global pandemic disrupted those plans.

Air Premia still plans to be an international carrier and hopes to launch flights to Singapore,Thailand and Vietnam in 2022.

It has also filed an application for a foreign air carrier permit to fly to the US and is targeting the launch of a Seoul to Los Angeles route by mid-2022. There are a;so longer-range plans to fly to Australia.

Air Premia as an agreement to lease two more Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.

South Korea has two full-service carriers -- Korean Air Lines and Asiana Airlines Inc. -- and 10 low-cost carriers.