Korean Air Skypass - Korean Air and Asiana staying afloat thanks to America

http://www.etravelblackboard.com/showarticle.asp?id=89166&nav=2



Figures are showing that Korean Air and Asiana Airlines are getting increasing business on routes between the Americas and Japan.

The increase in demand for flights to and from the Americas and Japan has been good news for the airlines which experienced a drop in passengers levels for flights between Europe and China fell at the end of last year.

The total number of passengers on Korean Air international flights in December 2008 dropped 6 percent compared to 2007. However, passenger numbers on its American routes climbed 8 percent whilst Japanese routes climbed 3 percent.

"The situation has been similar this year," a Korean Air spokesman told Cho Sun late last week.

From the period December – January, passengers on Asiana international flights fell 10 percent but, like Korean Air, numbers rose on American and Japanese routes by 10 and 11 percent respectively.

Korea is a hotspot as well, with many more Japanese travellers transiting through the country, attracted by its shopping, sightseeing attractions and its cheap won.

Flights between the US and Korea have also increased significantly due to higher demand following the inclusion of Koreans to the U.S. visa waiver program.

The streets of Seoul are flooding with Japanese tourists, these days.
They occupy to the last room in Hotels in Seoul.
The Korean won has lost its value against Japanese Yen almost as much as 100% compared with last year. At the mo, Korean won is like a toilet paper. Korea is SO cheap to the Japanese tourists these days.


http://www.etravelblackboard.com/showarticle.asp?id=89166&nav=2
many more Japanese travellers transiting through the country, attracted by its shopping, sightseeing attractions and its cheap won.
.

The tax refund counter at Incheon routinely has a few dozen Japanese women inline loaded up with bags of luxury goods... its cheap indeed.

The Korean won has lost its value against Japanese Yen almost as much as 100% compared with last year.

Not quite 100% ;-)

Korea is the land of fake goods, which apparently, the tourists don't mind buying.
Incheon airport is just a large duty free shop.
Things are so expensive in Korea, you see them buying them on the way out, and bringing them back on the way in.
With the won so weak, I'm betting the airlines have already seen a drop in traffic originating in Korea.

Looks like the value of the won seems to be rising against the dollar. It fell about 100 won in 5 days in a nosedive pattern.

Although the won-dollar exchange rate did go up about 550 like overnight a few months ago.