South Korean Bizav Firms Readying for Olympics

With the Winter Games scheduled to start on Feb. 9, business aviation companies in the host country prepare for what they hope will be a very busy period.

The Seoul Gimpo Business Aviation Center, which made its debut last year, expects to see plenty of traffic during the upcoming Winter Olympics, as the only true FBO in South Korea.

By Curt Epstein • Business Aviation Services Editor

November 29, 2017

With the start of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea now less than three months away, aviation businesses there are gearing up for what they hope is a blizzard of private aircraft. Avjet Asia operates at the Seoul-Gimpo Business Aviation Center (SGBAC), the new government-owned FBO at Seoul Gimpo International Airport and the only Western-style service facility in the country. It has received reservations from several operators, and since the beginning of November, the number of inquiries has started to rise.

The South Korean capital, which is also home to Incheon International Airport, sits more than 100 miles from Pyeongchang, which will be the site of the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the snow sports venues. The nearest airport to the Olympic site is Yangyang International Airport, which opened in 2002 and has a single 8,500-foot runway. It is expected to change to 24-hour operation and CIQ support for the duration of the games, and authorities there plan to nearly double its normal customs processing capabilities for the event. As all other airports in the country aside from Gimpo, the main terminal at Yangyang will be used for processing all arriving and departing flights. Fueling there will be available 24/7 and credit can be arranged before uplift, according to local handler ANC International.

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