Travel in June 2018
There are various routes departing from Incheon, but the only direct flights from Busan to Nagoya were Asiana Airlines, Korean Air and Japan Airlines. Since they were all large FSC, there were limitations in reducing costs.(Of course it was not too expensive.) Air Busan has recently begun to fly direct to Busan-Nagoya. Air Busan sells air tickets at 50,000 to 150,000 won cheaper than the existing airfare sold by Korean Air, so I'm very glad to hear that.
※ FSC(Full Service Carrier) vs LCC (Low Cost Carrier)
FSC means that all aviation services are available. Conversely, there is the LCC. Instead of offering a variety of air services offered by large existing airlines, from ticketing services to in-flight meals, it made air fares cheaper.
I arrived in Nagoya last June with Air Busan to travel Gifu Perfecture. I prefer Airbusan among similar domestic(=Korean) LCC because it offers wider seats, free meals and plenty of free luggage. However, it is a little regrettable that the service has all been changed to a paid-in service since July 1.
the Skyhub lounge at Gimhae Airport.
I arrived at the airport in a hurry. I received a pre-booked portable Wi-Fi machine. And moved to the lounge in Gimhae Airport. Airbushan offers in-flight meals, but I already know that the amount is not enough for me (I took Airbusan manytimes, I know that well.)
▶ You can book the Japanese pocket Wi-Fi or a USim for a trip HERE. It is also useful if you click HERE to receive a coupon for $3.2.
Thereh is whole glass window in the Skyhurve Lounge at Gimhae Airport. I could see the airport's runway there. Depending on where you sit, this view will be different.
- DEPART -
Boarding an airplane
After you get your boarding pass, The ticket tell by your seat number. That is, seats are pre-determined before boarding. So I don't line up to get on board before boarding time starts. My position is fixed whether I'm in line late or early.
The weather was very nice on this day. It was just as hot that the weather was fine. I could feel that summer was really beginning.
▶ p.s. However, if you board Easyjet, European leading low-cost carrier, you should line up as soon as possible. the fare is SO CHEAP! but if you don't pay an extra fee, your seats will be seated on a first-come-first-served basis.
Busan → Nagoya by A321-200
Among the A321 series developed by Airbus, the A321-200 is the newest. There is no screen for entertainment for aircraft types used by the LCC. There are up to 195 seats, 30 more seats than the existing Airbusan type.
Japanese Scene Outside the Window
I fell asleep as soon as I boarded the plane, and then woke up for a while. The strong sunlight entered the plane, because of the windows being left open. I woke up and looked out the window. It was as if white cream had covered the mountain.
There was an in-flight meal in front of me. It turned out that a Japanese passenger sitting next to me received my in-flight meal, and when I was sleeping. So thanks!
When I opened the in-flight meal case, it was Chicken Nugget. It was delicious, but there wasn't much as I expected. The meat was moist and not mushy. To enjoy the chicken nuggets, a ketchup was served together. However, I felt that red-pepper paste(Korean Sauce, Gochujang) seemed to be more appropriate than ketchup.
Back then when I was enjoying my in-flight meal. The plane that I was on board met a strong current. And there was a short but temporary descent. At the moment I felt a little detached from the chair. It was the same feeling as when I was in a steep descent after riding a roller coaster. Most of the passengers on the plane let out a short scream. Fortunately, the situation was not long. soon we could feel a comfortable flight.
Arrived at Nagoya Airport safely.
It was my first time to be in Nagoya. There was no violent collision, but due to strong friction, the plane shook and arrived at Centrair Nagoya Chubu International Airport. The airport was built on Iseman Bay, so when I looked at the window, it looked as if the plane was about to land on the sea by the time it reached the runway. The weather was nice, so hot, and the sky looked blue.
- RETURN -
I had to leave early in the morning to catch a morning flight from Hirugami hot spring area. I was happy and enjoyed my time in a good Ryokan. Of course, it was not the personal trip, It was business trip. However I met many people. it was a valuable opportunity to meet good people in the Japanese travel industry.
I decided to take Meal Box instead of breakfast in Ryokan, where I had to leave early in the morning. Our departure time and breakfast time didn't match. However, Staff form ryokan was very considerate and opened 30 minutes earlier than the original breakfast time. As a result, I was able to have breakfast buffet, not at the meal box.
I hurried to the airport early in the morning. I was worried about getting to the airport a little bit by, but luckily I could get to the airport in a leisurely way. There were many people at the airport and there was a very long line at the Air Busan counter. When I was in line for a long time, I heard that my departure time was delayed. Actually, I didn't think much of it here. It is very common news to hear that the departure time of the plane will be delayed at the airport.
I headed for the departure gate with my personal small baggage. Although it was a little too far from the gate I had to go to, I took a little time to buy a comprehensive cold medicine (the best remedy for early cold symptoms) and Pabron Gold A. And I bought a Japanese storybook at Tsutaya bookstore. Storybook is one of the books that I often read these days. My Japanese ability is only 4 years old, so this book is perfect for me.
And I arrived at the gate, and the boarding time was further delayed. And I boarded the plane, but it was very foggy at Gimhae Airport. Therefore, many flights scheduled to arrive at Gimhae Airport were either delayed or canceled. The control tower did not allow us to leave. The departure time of my flight was indefinitely delayed so that I could arrive safely until the fog of Gimhae Airport disappeared. 3 hours later? Our plane was given permission to leave from the control tower.
Nagoya → Busan In-flight meal for Busan: Tteok galbi fried rice
By the time the plane departed I fell asleep again. Then I woke up when I smelled the delicious smell. When I thought about it, After breakfast in Ryokan, I had no food after the plane left. So it was only natural that I felt hungry. So I can't help but wake up after smelling my in-flight food. As I was really hungry, the in-flight meal timing was perfect for me.
My flight type is a plane operated by the LCC, but this space was definitely a little wider than other LCC companies. Especially considering Hong Kong Express or Spring Airlines, the seats are very wide.
There was a longer delay than expected, but I arrived in Busan safely anyway. The weather was very nice in Nagoya, but it was cloudy when I arrived at Gimhae Airport.
Air Busan also had wider seats and the crew service was good. In-flight windows should not be closed so that crew must check outside conditions at all times when the aircraft departs/arrives. But many people don't follow this instruction. I think this is an important part related safety. Airbusan crew were well informed, and other services showed kindness rather than firmness.
---------------------------- A New Route Between Busan and Nagoya ----------------------------
Air Busan started operating its Busan-Nagoya line in June 2018. Although Korean Air was the only air route in Busan, it is possible to start from Busan and travel to central Japan at an affordable price.
1. Air route fare
① Korean Air: Economy: KRW 311,000 to KRW 765 and 600
② Air Busan: special round trip price of 117,600 won to 500,000 won
2. Time of operation
① Korean Air: The Korean Air line is an afternoon arrival, Good for those who don’t like early depart.
② Air Busan: The advantage of the Airbusan route is that it arrives at Nagoya Airport early in the morning, which makes it possible to utilize the schedule a lot. However, it is a slight disadvantage that the return schedule is also an early morning.
3. Booking
4.You can see Asiana Airlines or Japan Airlines of schedule Busan-Nagoya. However, Asiana airlines will jointly fly in Busan air and Japan airlines will jointly fly in Korean airlines.