CLARK FREEPORT, Philippines — 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 sold up to 71% of seats in its A330-300 aircraft, which can 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 expects sales in CRK to further increase due to KE’s very short connection time to cities in the United States, Europe and China, which he describes as the airline’s biggest advantage.
The shortest connecting time is 45 minutes while the longest takes 22 hours. Depending on the layover duration, a traveler can use the free transit lounge and avail of a hotel or free tours packaged as traditional, shopping, temples, adventures, K-culture, old and new, 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 said in a visit here in 2017.
Around 1.4 million Korean tourists visit the country annually.
KE operated in CRK ahead of the opening of a new terminal being constructed by the Philippine government on funds of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.
The terminal, scheduled to be operating in July 2020, can serve eight million passengers in a year.
/atm