Korea’s T’way Air reaffirms Zagreb flight plans


Korean low cost carrier T’way Air has confirmed it still plans to launch operations between Seoul and Zagreb as the airline prepares to take delivery of its first wide-body aircraft, the Airbus A330-300, next month. The company noted that, once Covid-related circumstances permit, it will commence flights from the South Korean capital to Zagreb, Singapore and Sydney. The budget airline is due to take delivery of a further two A330s this year. It aims to become South Korea’s second largest airline following the planned merger between Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. T’Way has received all necessary permits from the Korean Ministry for Land, Infrastructure and Transport to launch up to four weekly commercial flights between Seoul and Croatia.

Korean Air, which has been serving the Croatian market with flights to Zagreb on a seasonal basis since 2018, has ruled out its return on the route for this year as Covid measures still prevent most Koreans from travelling and the country’s boarders remain shut for the majority of foreigners. The Croatian Ambassador to South Korea, Damir Kusen, recently said that T’Way would not take away passengers from Korean Air or oversaturate the market. "We believe that this will certainly be an attractive option for younger travellers to Croatia due to the significantly lower priced tickets and will stimulate a new category of passengers”, Mr Kusen noted.

In 2019, when flights between the two countries were last operational, Korean Air captured almost the entire Seoul travel market to and from Zagreb. The absolute majority of its customers on the route, over 95%, were point to point passengers and almost all originated from South Korea. The only other South Korean city with notable traffic to Zagreb is its second largest - Busan. In 2019, 4.691 passengers travelled indirectly between Busan and Zagreb on a single itinerary based on OAG data. The overwhelming majority of Korean travellers enter Croatia on a separate ticket via other European markets after spending several days at their original destination.



Comments

  1. Anonymous09:01

    Funny. Yesterday ZAG spoke of subsidies for long-haul flying and the next day Koreans reaffirm their interest. Nice to see an LCC fly this route, fits nicely with the new business model of turning ZAG into an LCC fortress hub.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. At the moment, over 20 legacy carriers operate to ZAG, and only 2 low cost - Ryanair and Vueling, and 2 semi - LC Flydubai and Eurowings. ZAG does not have business model of becoming LCC fortress, the same as it did not have business model of being 'prestigious" airport. People write lot of BS here, caused by different reasons, envy one among them

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:01

    Seoul-Ljubljana-Zagreb-Seoul would work perfectly IMO

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:05

      Are there Korean tourists in Slovenia?

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    2. Anonymous09:06

      No, that would not work and makes no any sense. Only ICN-ZAG could make sense on seaonal base at this point.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:07

      Yes! Ljubljana, Bled and Postojna cave is visited by a lot of Koran tourists.

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    4. Anonymous09:12

      Ann 9:06 not sure what you are on about but Japan and Korean tourist represents a massive chunk of tourist in slovenia. If there were flights they would be profitable.

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    5. Anonymous09:18

      A330 is not flixbus to stop at any station. I rest my case.

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    6. Anonymous09:59

      Ana was thinking of introduceing route between lju and tokyo. So there's deffinetly a demand.

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    7. Anonymous15:58

      There may be demand, but whether that demand is enough to justify extra landing fees from landing at an additional airport, extra rotation time (and missed RPM), take off fuel for an extremely short flight, passenger discomfort for an intermediate stop... I think not. It's much easier and cost-effective to just partner with Flixbus and sell a bus ticket to Ljubljana (or any other destinations Koreans visit in this part of Europe, and they do seem to like almost every Ex-Yu country) during the booking process, which is what most of LCCs do anyways.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:04

    This would be a great addition and temporary replacement for Korean Air.

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  4. Anonymous09:04

    I would prefer if they stayed Dubrovnik while Korean Air kept Zagreb.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:12

      And Asiana in ZAD, RJK or OSI. Like that you cover the whole country.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:07

    If there are 500,000+ Korean tourists coming each year (pre-Covid) and only about 40,000 flying with Korean Air then there is a huge untapped market on this route.

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    Replies
    1. Most of tourists were on bus tours started in Prague and Vienna. Also, a great number of visitors arrived with Qatar, Turkish, Lufthansa, Emirates and CSA.

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  6. Anonymous09:07

    Must admit I've never heard of them.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:09

      They are bigger than any ex-Yu airline. They handled over 7 million passengers in 2019.

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    2. Anonymous09:14

      Same way Koreans have not heard of OU and JU.

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    3. Anonymous10:55

      They are a primarily Asian carrier. Used to be known as Hansung Airlines.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous09:08

    This is great news

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  8. Anonymous09:08

    Hope it works out. Good luck.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:09

      Pre covid I'm sure it would. Now though, not really.

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    2. Anonymous09:12

      Should be pointed out that they asked for the permits AFTER the pandemic started. So they obviously think it will work out.

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    3. Anonymous10:55

      Hopefully these flights will be able to be launched this year.

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  9. Anonymous09:14

    Considering Korean Air flights were quite pricey, an LCC would be a welcome change.

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  10. Anonymous09:15

    Fantastic

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous09:16

    Would be great for Croatian tourism.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous10:22

    Bravo Hrvatska!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous10:56

    I believe this would be the only Asian LCC flying to Europe.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:07

      No, Scoot flies from Singapore to Athens and Berlin.

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    2. And London Gatwick.

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  14. Anonymous11:07

    Shame about the pandemic. On top of T'way we would also have had Air Asia X start those charters from Bangkok.

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  15. Anonymous11:24

    Fantastic

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous12:21

    What an ugly livery :/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:46

      I think it won't look bad live.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:53

      100% agree about the livery and name....just so strange and random.....

      Delete
  17. Anonymous12:21

    Zagreb should do everything they can now to get them to start flights so they can kickstart long haul again.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous12:47

    I would prefer Jin Air, which is the LCC long haul subsidiary of Korean Air to start flights, rather than this airline.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:51

      What difference would it make?

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    2. Actually it's better that airline not tied to Korean Air is planning to start these flights. Having Jin Air would probably mean that Korean withdrew and let its LCC subsidiary operate ZAG flights. With another LCC, it's possible Korean will come back to ZAG once covid scam is over

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    3. JU520 BEGLAX13:35

      I dont see them coming this year to ZAG. Too early for the Asians, too labil the entire Covid-situation. Maybe 2023 if at all

      Delete
    4. Depends how scam scenario will go on, I agree. And even if situation gets to be more or less normal later this year, Korean will not be coming for sure. But in that case I see this guys coming, even this year

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    5. Anonymous16:34

      Tourists in the future will gravitate to countries where the local population have high levels of vaccination. You're continual covid scam rhetoric is tedious.

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    6. Anonymous17:18

      What a joke

      Delete
    7. @An.16.34
      I am vaccinated. 3 times, with booster dose as well. 76 %of adult population in Croatia is vaccinated, 66 %of total population. I am not saying the virus does not exist, it is modified flu virus, but its deliberate release, and all histeria and propaganda made around it are clear signs it is scam in order for the richest to become even more rich, on multiple levels, by fluctuations on stock exchanges worldwide with every single "new wave", with financial benefits of one of the strongest lobbys /mafias, pharmaceutical one, with general fear and willingness of people to accept worse working conditions and lower wages, and so on and so on. My continual covid scam rethoric is consequence of me using my head for thinking as well, and arrival of the new airline and Korean tourists to Croatia, and everything else in the World, depends on the plans of scenario writers

      Delete
    8. JU520 BEGLAX18:16

      You have a healthy attitude to the subject, I think so too. But not only on the Covid topic, also otherwise your comments always stand out very positively and testify to expertise.
      Thank you pozdrav iz Rijeke

      Delete
    9. @pozdrav as long as we have you too open our eyes.

      Delete
    10. @JU520BEGLAX
      Thanks! Nice of you to say that! ☺

      @frishki
      It was absolutely not my intention to open eyes to anybody. I was just explaining why I think it's scam, to guy who called me tedious, and I addressed my post to him only. If you felt it as pressure put on you to "open your eyes", I sincerely apologise.

      Delete
    11. Anonymous20:12

      "Croatia is vaccinated, 66 % of total population" - please check your data before you spread false information. Current vaccination rate in Croatia is 53%. So far away from 66%.

      Delete
    12. Anonymous20:36

      This is why many people will avoid certain places this year and it not's good news for a country that relies on tourism.

      Delete
    13. Anonymous20:38

      Another joke

      Delete
    14. @An.20.12
      Yes, I did make mistake in writing numbers, and thanks for noting it and warning. But, your data is not entirely correct as well. I just checked the newest official data, and the rate is 56 %of total population and 66 %of adult population vaccinated in Croatia. I heard the news today on TV and just wrote 10 % more for both, unintentionally. Sorry about it. But it does not make any difference anyway because scam will be over when most convenient for the richest who wrote scenario, no matter of the numbers of vaccinated, especially in small markets or poor countries.

      Delete
    15. Anonymous22:04

      Utterly deluded individual

      Delete
    16. Anonymous22:13

      2.159.901/4.047.000=0,5337 (53,3%)

      first number - fully vaccinated on 8.1.2022 (www.koronavirus.hr)

      second number - population (according to Google)

      56% means population is below 4MIO - (cca 3.850.000)

      the rest i will not comment. I stopped reading at "modified flu virus".

      Delete
    17. My information is official, and published on the webpage of Hrvatski Zavod za javno zdravstvo. You might try to check it. Population is under 4 million because 300. 000 people fled to Ireland and Germany recently, because of the Heaven Croatia became recently. Even if you disagree with my opinion about this global scam, still you shouldn't insult me and call me names. I never insulted anyone who thinks the virus is natural, and jumped from the bat to the man, which is the story suitable for Batman comics only. And if you stopped reading after "modified virus", so you don't know what I wrote, how can you comment on it? And I'm not quiting this discussion which will change neither your nor my opinion.

      Delete
    18. I am now quiting the discussion, not not quiting

      Delete
  19. Anonymous13:01

    first of all, i didn't call you names. I would never call someone "Utterly deluded individual". that was someone else. second of all, my number is official, the only difference is how big population you use for the equation. Officially Croatia still has more than 4MIO population. third thing - yes i stopped reading because when someone writes nonsense like "modified flu virus" u know the rest is waste of time. I'm pretty sure you don't have PHD in the specific field so your opinion is just that - opinion.

    ReplyDelete

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