CLARK FREEPORT –– Korean Air (KE) has drawn more travelers to the Clark International Airport (CRK) since it mounted daily flights here on Oct. 27, an official said.
KE has been selling 71 percent of seats in its A330-300 aircraft, which could carry up to 276 passengers, according to Cheol Lee, KE Manila regional manager.
The plane is the biggest aircraft being used in CRK so far. It arrives from Incheon International Airport (ICN)at 11:10 a.m. and leaves CRK at 1:10 p.m.
Lee has expected seat sales in CRK to further increase due to KE’s very short connection time to cities in the United States, Europe, and China. ICN is a hub of 84 airlines, according to a briefer.
The connection service is a “strong point” of the airline, Lee said.
The shortest connecting time is 45 minutes, while the longest is 22 hours. Depending on layover duration, a traveler can avail of a free transit lounge, hotel or tour.
Another attraction of KE is ICN’s free transit tour during layover time.
Free tours last an hour to five hours and its themes range from tradition, shopping, temples, adventures, K-culture, old and new lifestyle, and entertainment.
KE’s flights in CRK increased its international flights to 125 cities in 44 countries.
More than 90,000 Koreans live in the Philippines, with 20,000 of them residing in Pampanga, former South Korean Ambassador Kim Jae-shin had said in a visit here in 2017. Around 1.4 million Korean tourists visit in a year.
KE operated in CRK ahead of the opening of a new terminal built by the Philippine government on funds of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.
The terminal, scheduled to be running in July 2020, can serve eight million passengers yearly.
Its operation and maintenance were won by the consortium Lipad Corp. Tonette Orejas/lzb