Year of the Dog - AsBAA in Action Year of the Dog - AsBAA in Action_V2 | Page 21

THE WINTER GAMES ARE COMING!
This winter, The 2018 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXIII Olympic Winter Games and
commonly known as PyeongChang 2018 is scheduled to take place from 9 to 25 February 2018 in 
Pyeongchang County, South Korea. AsBAA interviewed our member, Anthony Boocock, Flight
Support Manager, AVJET ASIA CO., LTD.
The Winter Olympics are approaching, how well prepared are the authorities in South Korea for the increase in air traffic?
The authorities had a series of meetings at the end of 2017 to make special arrangements for the Olympics. The key result of these meetings are
changes made to operations at Yangyang (RKNY) and Gimpo (RKSS) airports for the duration of the games. Staff numbers at RKNY will be
boosted greatly to handle the influx of visitors, in order to process them through CIQ. The FBO facility at Gimpo has been opened to domestic
flights for February, in preparation for flights that will be operating between RKNY and RKSS.
What facilities are in place for BA/GA in South Korea?
Gimpo International Airport has the country’ s first FBO facility. It was opened in 2016 and consists of an executive terminal and spacious
12,490m2 hangar. The terminal allows for quick 10-minute CIQ clearance and is just 16km from downtown Seoul. The facility is called the Seoul
Gimpo Business Aviation Centre (SGBAC) and was constructed by the Korea Airports Corporation (KAC). Because Avjet is located at the terminal,
we have direct access to arriving and departing aircraft, which allows us flexibility in ensuring smooth handling of all flights. We can bring our
dedicated equipment straight out of our hangar and be next to the aircraft instantly. Avjet Asia offers a one-stop FBO service and after being
founded in 2008, already has 10 years of local operational experience.
Passengers at Yangyang airport will be processed with those arriving on commercial flights, with no special priority yet being granted. As BA flights
begin being scheduled at the airport, this situation will likely change, and we are making efforts to get special treatment for the arrival of VIP guests.
What facilities are in place for Business and General Aviation in South Korea?
Yangyang has a lack of parking space and only one spot has been made available for BA. Business
jets will have 2 hours at the airport before they will need to depart. Most requests that we are getting
are for repositioning flights to Gimpo. We expect to see a lot of movement between these airports or
to Incheon International Airport (RKSI). Most arrivals and departures we are seeing are during the
3-day period before the opening and then the 3-day period after the closing ceremony.
How can other AsBAA member companies access your services and make use of them
during this time?
Avjet Asia will place priority on requests or queries made by fellow AsBAA members during the games.
If we can help them in anyway then we will take great pride in helping to strengthen the relationships
that we have already formed. The reason we joined AsBAA was to be part of a network of companies
who share our vision of fostering the growth and development of business aviation in Asia. We see this
as our chance to play the role of host and we all do all we can to ensure things go smoothly.
What sort of challenges can we expect in relation to permits, slots, and other issues during the winter Olympics?
Obtaining permits and slots will likely be no issue during the games. The main issue is around the parking situation at Yangyang. There are two
repositioning options for operators in Korea, with one being Gimpo and the other being Incheon. Gimpo allows parking for up to 10 days before
aircraft must either leave or be brought into the hangar. There are several dedicated BA parking stands at Gimpo and it experiences low congestion.
Incheon on the other hand has just 3 dedicated spots for BA and only allows parking for a maximum of 3 days. The best option we can recommend
is requesting hangar space at RKSS, which will also decrease the need for de-icing upon departure. It should also be noted that there is curfew at
RKSS fro m 1400Z to 2100Z. Incheon has 24-hour operations, but its slot deviation is only -/+ 15 minutes (-/+ 30 minutes at RKSS).
Following the winter Olympics, do you expect there to be an increase in BA/GA travel in South Korea?
We predict that the games will expose many users to the amazing FBO facilities at Gimpo airport. This should in turn led to an increase in BA
flights to Korea, especially among travellers who appreciate smooth operational procedures. The games will be a good chance for first time visitors
to see that Korea has spared no expense at its first FBO facility. We also expect that the influx of aircraft will allow local authorities to also be
exposed to the potential of what BA has to offer. BA has already been picking up over the past few years, and the Olympics will provide a good
surge in traffic. Once authorities see just how large the global BA market is, they should become more attracted to its potential.
What do you see as the trends and opportunities for AsBAA members?
Probably the main benefit for AsBAA members will be to hear and learn from what we experience during the games. Avjet Asia will be handling the
bulk of the flights during this time and we are sure that there are things that we can pass on to other members after a post games debrief. The last
major sporting event in Asia was 10 years ago, with the 2008 Summer Olympics and the BA market in the region has grown immensely during that
time. We would be open to share anything we can with other members, especially given that the 2022 winter games will be held in Beijing.