Korean vola a Las Vegas

[landingFCO]

Praticamente all'indomani della decisione di JAL di sospendere, tra le altre, la rotta Tokyo-Las Vegas, Korean annuncia invece di essere interessata a volarci prossimamente da Seul.
Inoltre il volo su IST passerà da 'charter' regolare a linea con l'orario estivo.


Korean Air to Fly Nonstop to Gambling Mecca

Korean Air will start flying nonstop to Las Vegas, a city it claims is no longer merely a byword for gambling. “Once a city of gambling, Las Vegas is undergoing a transformation as a mecca for international conventions and meetings,” Korean Air president Lee Jong-hee told reporters Monday.

Lee said the carrier’s experience with its loss-making Australia and New Zealand routes taught it that pure tourist destinations are not profitable for airlines. “From now on, we will open more routes to cities where business and pleasure can both be taken care of,” he said.

Lee lamented the rising cost of crude oil, which drove fuel costs up to 30 percent of total operating expenses. He said the airline plans to fight the problem with measures including the introduction of next-generation aircraft like the Boeing-787s, which are made of light-weight materials, and opening the Incheon-New York polar routes that shave 30 minutes off travel time.

The president said Korean Air asked the government to approve four regular flights a week to Istanbul, Turkey, and was “optimistic” about the outcome. The carrier currently operates three charter flights from Incheon to Istanbul.

“We are a top air freight carrier, but as far as passenger flights go we are still at 15th in the world,” Lee said. The goal is to get to no. 10 in the next five years.

The most urgent task for the airline is to prepare for an open-skies agreement with China that Korea is expected to conclude in the next two or three years, Lee added.

(englishnews@chosun.com )


Ciao


P.S.
KE vola in Nord America anche a : Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, Washington.

[Oli]

Non avrei pensato che Las Vegas avrebbe attirato tanto traffico.
La mentalità nostra è di andarci in occasione di un viaggio a Los Angeses, con la macchina, attraverso la Monument Valley, ma vedo che anche VS ci va.

[landingFCO]

A proposito di aviazione coreana, è in discussione un open-sky China-S.Korea. Sarebbe una grande opportunità per KE.


Korea and China discuss open-sky deal

February 14, 2006 ㅡ Lee Jong-hee, president and chief operating officer of Korean Air Co., has a number of ambitions for the new year. Very near the top of his list, though, is the signing of an open-sky agreement with China.
Mr. Lee, addressing the media yesterday, said the governments of Korea and China are discussing the easing of restrictions on round trip travel between the two nations. He added that he expects a deal to be reached within the next two to three years.
The United States is the only nation with which Korea has an open-sky agreement. Such deals eliminate all restrictions on capacity, frequency and routes of passenger flights between the signatory countries' airlines.
Mr. Lee, 61, added that an open-sky agreement with China should propel Korean Air, the nation's largest carrier, to one the world's top 10 passenger airlines by 2010.
In 2004, Korean Air was ranked the world's No. 1 air cargo carrier by weight, according to the International Air Transport Association; Mr. Lee said he was confident the company retained its position in 2005 as well.
As for opening up new routes, the Korean Air president said, "We are looking at the possibility of flying to Las Vegas in the second half of this year."
Mr. Lee added that although the "Sin City" is best known for gambling, it also hosts a number of international conferences and conventions, making it an attractive destination for airlines hoping to carry business travelers to such gatherings.
Amid rising international oil prices, Mr. Lee said Korean Air is considering shaving as much as 30 minutes off its flight time on certain routes to and from the U.S. East Coast, and also buying new aircraft that are 30 percent lighter in order to save on fuel costs.


by Suh Kyoung-ho <jeeho@joongang.co.kr>

[skyrobbie]

A Las Vegas volano anche altre compagnie asiatiche: JL (tra poco però cancellerà la tratta), SQ, Phillippine Airlines....
l'unico vettore europeo penso sia proprio Virgin Atlantic, tra l'altro Sir Branson vorrebbe construire nella città un hotel casinò a ridosso dell'aeroporto, in modo tale che i pax sbarcani possano finire direttamente dall'aereo alla reception dell'albergo....

[Lor86mil]

La maggiorparte delle compagnie che raggiungono Las Vegas, come Jal, Sia ecc. sono voli charter, non mi sembra siano schedulati... Piuttosto dovrebbe pensare ad altre mete europee com MXP e MUC, che hanno una fortissima richiesta per queste destinazioni.

[landingFCO]

JAL e le altre asiatiche che ci volano a LAS hanno voli assolutamente regolari di linea.

[Oli]

Ma a Las Vegas ci si va solo per giocare o anche per lavoro?

[Lor86mil]

Ma a Las Vegas ci si va solo per giocare o anche per lavoro?

Penso che ci si rechi anche per affari... Azi sicuramente: Las Vegas sta diventando non solo meta del gioco d'azzardo ma sede di numerose fiere internazionali... Ci sono stati una marea di industrali della mia zona, e dicono sia un'ottima piazza...

[skyrobbie]

A Las Vegas si fanno molte convention e meeting di tutti i generi.
Poi è vicino all'Area 51 - Groom Lake, e non è cosa da poco....

[Alitalia Fan]

Quindi Las Vegas sta prendendo un'altra strada rispetto alla classica del gioco d'azzardo... Bene bene bene


Un ipotetico volo di linea diretto dall'Italia non avrebbe però alcun senso, a mio avviso.