Air Busan launches Incheon-Vladivostok direct flights

An Air Busan jet / Korea Times file

By Lee Hae-rin

Air Busan initiated direct scheduled flights between Incheon and Vladivostok on Feb. 5, the airline said Feb. 6.

The Incheon-to-Vladivostok flight is scheduled to operate every other Saturday. A 180-seat Airbus A320 will depart from Incheon International Airport at 11:15 a.m., arriving in Vladivostok International Airport at 3 p.m. and returning to Incheon at 6 p.m., arriving at 8 p.m.

Vladivostok is an administrative center of the Russian Maritime Province and one of the largest geo-economic hubs in the Russian Far East region. Despite the high demand for various flight options, only Russian airlines have served direct flights for over 20,000 passengers last year, hindering exchanges between the two countries.

If Gimhae International Airport grants international flights greater access, the airline is likely to offer more diverse flight options connecting Busan and the capital area, which is expected to bring significant benefits to passengers and the local economy.

In celebration of the flight launch, Air Busan is offering a promotion to upgrade the free baggage allowance from 15 kilograms to 23 kilograms for passengers boarding until June.

Travelers arriving in Vladivostok and Incheon need to bring a negative COVID-19 PCR test result in English conducted no more than 48 hours prior to arrival. Details on entry regulations and quarantine requirements are available on the websites of the Korea Immigration Service by the justice ministry for foreign travelers, and the foreign ministry and Vladivostok Consulate for Korean nationals.