Asiana Airlines will operate domestic sightseeing flights next month utilizing its A380 fleet whose operation has been suspended due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.
The country’s second-largest air carrier said Thursday that the special sightseeing program ― to be offered on Oct. 24 and 25 ― will provide people who have been unable to fly due to restrictions on overseas travel amid the pandemic a chance to board a plane that has not been used before for domestic flights.
The program will allow passengers to go on sightseeing flights from the A380 that will take off from Incheon International Airport at 11 a.m. and fly over Gangneung, Pohang, Gimhae and Jeju, before returning to Incheon at 1:20 p.m.
The A380, dubbed “a luxury hotel in the sky,” has 12 business-suite-class seats, 66 business-class seats and 417 economy-class seats.
For the sightseeing program, the business-suite-class seats are priced at 305,000 ($260), while the business-class and economy-class seats are 255,000 won and 205,000 won, respectively.
The company said the number of available business-class and economy-class seats will be reduced to 310 to keep a distance between passengers, as part of measures to stem the spread of COVID-19.
All passengers will be offered in-flight meals, amenity kits and in-flight entertainment services, as well as discount coupons for other domestic flights and in-flight duty free goods.
Passengers can also earn air miles ― 828 for business-suite class, 690 for business class and 552 for economy class.
“We designed the special sightseeing program for those who are longing for air trips amid the prolonged pandemic,” an Asiana Airlines official said. “We hope the pandemic will come to an end at the earliest possible date so people can travel by airplane all around the world again.”
SOURCE: The KoreaTimes
