SilkAir has launched its first flights to South Korea with a non-stop service between Singapore and the popular seaport of Busan.
The Singapore Airlines regional wing is the only airline plying the route is serving Busan four times weekly using a Boeing 737-800 for the six-and-a-half-hour flight.
It offers a full-service experience that includes in-flight meals, wireless in-flight entertainment , complimentary baggage allowance as well as through check-in if they are connecting via Singapore.
In-flight cuisine on the route includes classic Korean dishes such as Bibimbap (Korean mixed rice), Beef Japchae (Stir-Fried Glass Noodles) and Chicken Bulgogi and Kimchi Fried Rice.
“The launch of Busan flights marks yet another milestone for SilkAir, as it is the first South Korean city in our network,” said SilkAir chief executive Foo Chai Woo.
“We are pleased to be providing greater connectivity for travelers to Korea, as well as for Koreans traveling to Singapore, with connections to the many destinations in the combined SilkAir and Singapore Airlines network.”
Busan is a popular holiday spot on the south-eastern tip of the Korean Peninsula and is noted for natural coastal scenery and local cultural attractions.
It is home to South Korea’s largest seafood market, Jagalchi Market.
SIA announced last year that SilkAir will be merged with Singapore Airlines after undergoing a $S100m cabin refurbishment.
The multi-year initiative will see the wholly-owned subsidiary get new lie-flat seats in business class and seat-back entertainment in business and economy cabins.
The airline said this was to ensure product consistency across the group’s full-service network when it is eventually merged.
However, it will not happen for some time: cabin upgrades are not tipped to start until 2020 due to lead times required by seat suppliers and the need to get the upgrades certified.
SilkAir currently operates about 400 weekly flights to 47 destinations in 16 countries.
