bobbybrown

According to one article (in Korean), Delta will suspend PUS-NRT late May. Currently DL runs this route one daily with 757 equipment. NW began this route in April, 2002. Last flight will be May 26th (NRT-PUS) and May 27th (PUS-NRT).

http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?...aid=0005504437 (Korean)

Long ago, there was very limited capacity in this route, but one year ago, Air Busan (LCC invested by Asiana) began daily service on PUS-NRT, and the fare went down a lot since then (Earthquake was one huge factor, too). Later this year, AirAsia Japan will also launch this route.

Delta have been providing convenient schedule from Busan to US for decent price, but now JL+AA will have definite advantage. KE via ICN is way more expensive than DL or JL.

Xeno

Not great news for me and others that will be attending a global conference in Busan late in 2013.

mrredskin

an airline can close an entire airport??

skchin

It's really hard to find award availability to PUS.

StayingHomeIsBetter

Yes... look at where CVG is heading (tongue-in-cheek)

motytrah

I'm surprised they just let the business walk. DL certainly doesn't have much of a stomach for going head to head with LCCs.

LedgeT

Too bad... I did PNS-ATL-NRT-PUS and back a year or so ago and enjoyed the trip... Although, I did wonder how they maintained the flight since both NRT-PUS and PUS-NRT were extremely lightly loaded.

RealHJ

Seems that DL trying to get more $$ out of PUS by reusing that 757 (vs. parking it there at night) for the night flight to SPN didn't work. That, I see, ends Feb 26.

DL was also advertising there in a big way, bigger than I've seen in any city: ads all over the metro stations, participation in some sort of charity event/walk, etc. I was surprised at the scale of advertising vs. its small presence (just one 757 with daily to NRT and just two weekly to SPN). For a while it looked like DL was planning to increase its presence at PUS (despite the horrendous ground staff it has there, some of the worst anywhere), but apparently not after all..

too bad. If DL only had the wisdom to add PUS-HNL (on the crapy 767 would do), IMO, they could make that station pay a lot more already from the local traffic and even more if they can get reasonable added cost with codeshares from KE to FUK and such (from where now KE ferries people to ICN on its two daily to HNL, plus HA codeshare with KE third daily). PUS to HNL is big. For a long time the only codeshare HA had with KE was ICN to PUS, always saying that PUS is a market of major importance for it to get to from HNL.

But that being said, Air Busan runs a good airline, with surprisingly comfortable seats, great service, and some of the nicest FAs of any airline. And, really good pricing as well, always way better than anyone else (and also the best outlet for Asiana flights: considerably less than buying direct from Asiana). I can see why they got DL scared and retreating.

MSPeconomist

I'm surprised because I think of PUS as being a rather lucrative business route. When I was there, many auto industry folks seemed to fly regularly between DTW and PUS in premium classes.

HNL would be more of a leisure route, although it is obviously a popular destination for people in Korea as well as Japan.

RealHJ

True. But remember that DL added SPN (a leisure route) from PUS as well, that had many FTers scratching their heads, as that was totally unexpected.

Vuelos

First PUS hopefully not FUK or PNS next

LedgeT

DELETED

reed2x

Yes, you've got to be really lucky score a date with PUS.

RealHJ

Let's not make this into what the DL starting service to FUK thread was, that was censored and removed by the mods (what was it? something like "let's all go to FUK together" or something). Esp. as here there was even talk of FUK to PUS connecting flights. Don't even think to put the two together in any other way than just innocent airport codes!

Vuelos

PNS to PUS is a surprisingly easy city pair to travel.