At Hotel Fox Fox, we previously observed a return to the popularity of long-haul international routes to Asia. The past week seems to confirm this trend.
After years of uncertainty and challenges in the wake of the global pandemic, several key tourism destinations in East Asia are now witnessing a significant increase in travel demand, prompting airlines to proactively cater to this resurgence.
Salt Lake City – a new DL hub
Delta Air Lines, which currently offers flights from Seattle, Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Detroit to Seoul, has recently unveiled plans to introduce a new route to the capital of the Republic of Korea (ROK) from Salt Lake City. This new service is scheduled to commence operations on June 12th, 2025, and will operate daily throughout the year. Delta’s state-of-the-art A350-900 aircraft will service the route, showcasing the airline’s commitment to providing passengers with a modern and comfortable travel experience.
Passengers flying the route will experience the airline’s latest flagship products, such as the Delta One Suites, its latest business class offering.
Delta’s Senior Vice President of Network Planning, Joe Esposito, told the press.
“The launch of Salt Lake City to Seoul service offers customers convenient access to Delta’s growing global network and ensures that virtually all U.S. demand is connected to Seoul via nonstop or one-stop service.”
“As Salt Lake City continues to grow as a vital Delta hub, our strong joint venture with Korean Air allows us to offer unmatched connectivity between the U.S. and Asia, leveraging strong hubs on both sides. This ensures that customers, including those in the interior U.S., have access not just to Seoul but to key destinations across Asia.”
More flights between Europe and China
Elsewhere in Europe, Air Serbia is also investing in the region. The national airline of the Balkan country began operations to Guangzhou (CAN) in China with flight JU988 using one of its A330-200s. The flight is operated twice on Mondays and Fridays.
The CEO of the airline, Jiri Marek, told attendees,
“Guangzhou is one of the most important industrial and trading centers in the People’s Republic of China, and direct flights to this city will be particularly appealing to the business community, not only in our two countries but also across Europe. Its proximity to Hong Kong and Macau makes this destination very attractive for tourism, especially for those wishing to experience the Greater Bay Area’s lifestyle, tradition, and culture.”
At a time when airlines like Lufthansa and British Airways are stopping their flights to Chinese airports like Beijing, it is promising to see new European players investing in the market. However, it is essential to note that Air Serbia has access to Russian air space, which other European airlines don’t have, and that will work to their advantage.
Leave a Reply