Direct flights between Taipei and Seoul’s city airports recommenced after an interval of 33 years April 30, positioning Taiwan at the center of a Northeast Asian aviation circuit.
“The reinstated route accomplishes my administration’s policy goal of connecting Taipei Songshan Airport with Gimpo International Airport and its counterparts in Shanghai and Tokyo,” ROC President Ma Ying-jeou said at the launch ceremony.
“In addition to improving convenience for tourists and business travelers, the service will cement Taiwan-South Korea relations and help take last year’s bilateral trade figure of over US$30 billion to new heights,” Ma added.
According to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the new route will save passengers about 80 minutes in ground transportation and cut Taipei-Seoul travel time to under three hours.
MOTC statistics show that more than 665,000 people traveled between Taiwan and South Korea in 2011, up 6.93 percent year on year. The number of South Korean visitors to Taiwan reached 70,165 in the first quarter of 2012, up 5.34 percent from the year before.
The service—operated by Taiwan’s China Airlines Ltd. and EVA Airways Corp., as well as South Korean budget carriers T’way Air Co. Ltd. and Eastar Jet Co. Ltd.—encompasses a round-trip flight departing both airports seven days a week.
Nonstop services from Taipei Songshan to Shanghai Hongqiao and Tokyo Haneda airports were launched in June and October of 2010, respectively. (JSM)
Write to Meg Chang at meg.chang@mail.gio.gov.tw