Per informed sources on Chinese tourism/aviation forums, Air Koryo is rumored to launch a weekly charter service to Chengdu from Pyongyang starting from June 28 this summer

If true, this should be really a positive development for North Korean aviation scene in the wake of dramatic positive changes occurring on the Korean Peninsula in recent months

Currently, JS runs 3 international services out of Pyongyang to Beijing, Shenyang, Vladivostok on T204/A148 metals

Chengdu, having a population of over 10 million, is the capital city of Sichuan Province in southwest China

JS and FNJ definitely deserve more should the good momentum towards peace and stability continue

I wonder if North Korea will open a consulate in Chengdu. They have ones in Shenyang and Vladivostok to facilitate travel to North Korea.

drdisque wrote:

I wonder if North Korea will open a consulate in Chengdu. They have ones in Shenyang and Vladivostok to facilitate travel to North Korea.

Actually this is just a charter service so I doubt there will be a consulate etc opening as opposed to BKK, SHE & VVO who have substantial North Korean interest politically and for workers etc. Air Koryo operated to a number of Chinese cities before the latest sanctions including Harbin, Yanji, Shenzhen and believe it or not Taiwan Taiyuan. These were all closed due to the most recent sanctions along with Kuwait, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur services.

Why CTU, and not a bigger and/or closer city like PVG?

Cheers,

C.

What are they trying to gain from Chengdu? Did they find out there are many Boxilai supporter that might be interested in DPRK or something?

planemanofnz wrote:

Why CTU, and not a bigger and/or closer city like PVG?

Cheers,

C.

I believe they already fly to PVG?

c933103 wrote:

planemanofnz wrote:

Why CTU, and not a bigger and/or closer city like PVG?

Cheers,

C.

I believe they already fly to PVG?

PVG is already served as JS0158 operated by An-148 usually.

Melbourne wrote:

c933103 wrote:

planemanofnz wrote:

Why CTU, and not a bigger and/or closer city like PVG?

Cheers,

C.

I believe they already fly to PVG?

PVG is already served as JS0158 operated by An-148 usually.

Yes, JS has FNJ-PVG A148 flights now
JS157 FNJ 21:20 PVG 23:20 Thur
JS158 PVG 00:40 FNJ 02:40 Fri

Not sure whether it would be seasonal or year-round this time around

BTW, PVG-FNJ was also a sector that Shanghai-based LCC Spring Airlines was trying to serve back in early 2016. They even secured CAAC approval to run a scheduled A320 service, which failed to materialize unfortunately owing to heightened tensions surrounding the nuclear tests then

Having traveled to the DPRK, it makes me sad to imagine these flights being the beginning of a development that will see busloads of Chinese tourists invade the country. In general I'm in favor of isolated countries opening up to tourism, so the locals can slowly get an idea that there is an outside world, interact with them and question their own government's world view. But with Chinese tour package groups, the locals only get the negative aspects. They will learn from the tourists and believe it is normal social behavior to walk around farting, burping, spitting on the ground and throwing trash everywhere, all while 100% of the tourist money stays with the government and none is spent with small local businesses or individuals. In this in one of the last havens without this type of tourism. But I can totally see it coming.

Birdwatching wrote:

Having traveled to the DPRK, it makes me sad to imagine these flights being the beginning of a development that will see busloads of Chinese tourists invade the country. In general I'm in favor of isolated countries opening up to tourism, so the locals can slowly get an idea that there is an outside world, interact with them and question their own government's world view. But with Chinese tour package groups, the locals only get the negative aspects. They will learn from the tourists and believe it is normal social behavior to walk around farting, burping, spitting on the ground and throwing trash everywhere, all while 100% of the tourist money stays with the government and none is spent with small local businesses or individuals. In this in one of the last havens without this type of tourism. But I can totally see it coming.

Having been more than 10 times to North Korea, I agree with you 100%.

MalevTU134 wrote:

Birdwatching wrote:

Having traveled to the DPRK, it makes me sad to imagine these flights being the beginning of a development that will see busloads of Chinese tourists invade the country. In general I'm in favor of isolated countries opening up to tourism, so the locals can slowly get an idea that there is an outside world, interact with them and question their own government's world view. But with Chinese tour package groups, the locals only get the negative aspects. They will learn from the tourists and believe it is normal social behavior to walk around farting, burping, spitting on the ground and throwing trash everywhere, all while 100% of the tourist money stays with the government and none is spent with small local businesses or individuals. In this in one of the last havens without this type of tourism. But I can totally see it coming.

Having been more than 10 times to North Korea, I agree with you 100%.

Considering North Korea is a closed market, Communist state the government keeping the money would technically have to benefit the people in some way (since they're dependent on the government) once the spending on nuclear weapons is over.

Melbourne wrote:

MalevTU134 wrote:

Birdwatching wrote:

Having traveled to the DPRK, it makes me sad to imagine these flights being the beginning of a development that will see busloads of Chinese tourists invade the country. In general I'm in favor of isolated countries opening up to tourism, so the locals can slowly get an idea that there is an outside world, interact with them and question their own government's world view. But with Chinese tour package groups, the locals only get the negative aspects. They will learn from the tourists and believe it is normal social behavior to walk around farting, burping, spitting on the ground and throwing trash everywhere, all while 100% of the tourist money stays with the government and none is spent with small local businesses or individuals. In this in one of the last havens without this type of tourism. But I can totally see it coming.

Having been more than 10 times to North Korea, I agree with you 100%.

Considering North Korea is a closed market, Communist state the government keeping the money would technically have to benefit the people in some way (since they're dependent on the government) once the spending on nuclear weapons is over.

Yeah, right, keep dreaming....

The rumor has been substantiated as per the report in the link below, except that the flight is pending CAAC approval
Surely more might be expected to come, according to JS officials

"Now perhaps it's Chengdu, afterwards could be Dalian, Guangzhou. If there's a market we'll fly, if not we won't," he said, noting Chinese travel agencies were involved with marketing the flights to potential customers.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/10/north-k ... -thaw.html

Why CTU? Inbound tourism and goods import. Money import/export. Chengdu is a big tech city like SZ.

Source:
https://edition.cnn.com/2017/10/16/asia ... index.html

Melbourne wrote:

drdisque wrote:

I wonder if North Korea will open a consulate in Chengdu. They have ones in Shenyang and Vladivostok to facilitate travel to North Korea.

Actually this is just a charter service so I doubt there will be a consulate etc opening as opposed to BKK, SHE & VVO who have substantial North Korean interest politically and for workers etc. Air Koryo operated to a number of Chinese cities before the latest sanctions including Harbin, Yanji, Shenzhen and believe it or not Taiwan Taiyuan. These were all closed due to the most recent sanctions along with Kuwait, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur services.

You sure JS flew to TPE (It's Taipei Taoyuan BTW )? They did used to fly to MFM (Macau), though. Of course, Kim Jong-nam, aka the brother that got killed, used to live in Macau. Macau was also the place where NK gov't laundered a bunch of their money.

I don't believed they ever fly into SZX, either (at least not scheduled flight. Maybe a charter or two once in a blue moon).

CTU is a little bit of a surprise, though. I would expect them to resume flights to DDG, or start flights to the like of DLC, TAO, or TNA (or even CGQ, HRB, and YNJ) first.

Birdwatching wrote:

Having traveled to the DPRK, it makes me sad to imagine these flights being the beginning of a development that will see busloads of Chinese tourists invade the country. In general I'm in favor of isolated countries opening up to tourism, so the locals can slowly get an idea that there is an outside world, interact with them and question their own government's world view. But with Chinese tour package groups, the locals only get the negative aspects. They will learn from the tourists and believe it is normal social behavior to walk around farting, burping, spitting on the ground and throwing trash everywhere, all while 100% of the tourist money stays with the government and none is spent with small local businesses or individuals. In this in one of the last havens without this type of tourism. But I can totally see it coming.

To be fair, there are already busloads of Chinese tourists now. The only changes would be 10x more buses

Also not many countries open their countries to North Korean workers, China is one of a few that does...its also a way to get workers earning hard cash for the regime to their destination.

MalevTU134 wrote:

Birdwatching wrote:

Having traveled to the DPRK, it makes me sad to imagine these flights being the beginning of a development that will see busloads of Chinese tourists invade the country. In general I'm in favor of isolated countries opening up to tourism, so the locals can slowly get an idea that there is an outside world, interact with them and question their own government's world view. But with Chinese tour package groups, the locals only get the negative aspects. They will learn from the tourists and believe it is normal social behavior to walk around farting, burping, spitting on the ground and throwing trash everywhere, all while 100% of the tourist money stays with the government and none is spent with small local businesses or individuals. In this in one of the last havens without this type of tourism. But I can totally see it coming.

Having been more than 10 times to North Korea, I agree with you 100%.

= Agree 100%. Amazing what Chinese tourists have done across the world. Can't decide who is worse - Chinese or French tourists .

Saludos,
Alex

OK this is an aviation question not a political question. In the news today it was announced that President Trump and Kim Jung Un would meet in Singapore. In the discussion it was mentioned that NK had no Aircraft that could go much farther than Singapore. Please weigh in and call it fake news or true?

zakuivcustom wrote:

Melbourne wrote:

Actually this is just a charter service so I doubt there will be a consulate etc opening as opposed to BKK, SHE & VVO who have substantial North Korean interest politically and for workers etc. Air Koryo operated to a number of Chinese cities before the latest sanctions including Harbin, Yanji, Shenzhen and believe it or not Taiwan Taiyuan. These were all closed due to the most recent sanctions along with Kuwait, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur services.

You sure JS flew to TPE (It's Taipei Taoyuan BTW )? They did used to fly to MFM (Macau), though. Of course, Kim Jong-nam, aka the brother that got killed, used to live in Macau. Macau was also the place where NK gov't laundered a bunch of their money.

I don't believed they ever fly into SZX, either (at least not scheduled flight. Maybe a charter or two once in a blue moon).

CTU is a little bit of a surprise, though. I would expect them to resume flights to DDG, or start flights to the like of DLC, TAO, or TNA (or even CGQ, HRB, and YNJ) first.

Yes Taipei was served at Taoyuan definetly prior to the recent sanctions operated as JS0531 operated by An-148 and or substituted by Tu-204-300 only.

Harbin, Dalian, Dandong and Yanji were all served also previous to the mentioned sanctions as well. Shenzhen was a charter destinations. You did mention Macau services, they were actually operated FNJ-MFM-BKK services then MFM was dropped around 13 or 14 years ago actually and the service was FNJ-BKK direct only.

travaz wrote:

OK this is an aviation question not a political question. In the news today it was announced that President Trump and Kim Jung Un would meet in Singapore. In the discussion it was mentioned that NK had no Aircraft that could go much farther than Singapore. Please weigh in and call it fake news or true?

2 Il-62M operated by KPAF in VIP configurations have the range for SIN as do the Air Koryo Tu-204 fleet which served SIN direct from FNJ as well.

travaz wrote:

OK this is an aviation question not a political question. In the news today it was announced that President Trump and Kim Jung Un would meet in Singapore. In the discussion it was mentioned that NK had no Aircraft that could go much farther than Singapore. Please weigh in and call it fake news or true?

If it's about 3,000 statute miles to Singapore, certainly an IL-62 can do it, and go a lot further, too, wouldn't it? If it's flyable....

The Il-62M has a range of over 5,000 miles and that’s with 180 pax and bags. A VIP configuration could fly further, putting pretty much anywhere in the world in range — USA, Europe, Oceania anyway. Only South America would need a tech stop.

travaz wrote:

OK this is an aviation question not a political question. In the news today it was announced that President Trump and Kim Jung Un would meet in Singapore. In the discussion it was mentioned that NK had no Aircraft that could go much farther than Singapore. Please weigh in and call it fake news or true?

There are rumor that his recent sudden visit to China is to borrow a plane from them

cedarjet wrote:

The Il-62M has a range of over 5,000 miles and that’s with 180 pax and bags. A VIP configuration could fly further, putting pretty much anywhere in the world in range — USA, Europe, Oceania anyway. Only South America would need a tech stop.

The IL62M would have the range, even their Tu204 would probably have the range with light payload, but will he trust these old soviet planes?

Not really sure if people just post on these forums with total disregard to the previous posts or just have a total lack of knowledge on the topics they comment on.

Currently the KPAF has two, not one two Il-62Ms in VIP configuration that have been used on state visits to Russia, China and South Korea recently and in the past all over Europe as well. It's still used as the state transport in Russia also so I don't see why they would borrow an aircraft from a foreign nation when they have not only a VIP Fleet but also a fleet of modern 4 aircraft (an-148 and Tu-204s).

Report say it's cancelled?