Exclusive: Incheon-Lisbon charter service to become regular route, says Portuguese envoy
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- SEO JI-EUN
- seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr
![Susana Vaz Patto, the Portuguese ambassador to Korea, speaks during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on Aug. 21 at the temporary office of the Portuguese Embassy in Jongno District, central Seoul. [PARK SANG-MOON]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/09/07/f49e4cf6-dd8f-4df0-9210-3b03c13962fe.jpg)
Susana Vaz Patto, the Portuguese ambassador to Korea, speaks during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on Aug. 21 at the temporary office of the Portuguese Embassy in Jongno District, central Seoul. [PARK SANG-MOON]
Portugal is set to welcome direct flights from Incheon to Lisbon starting Sept. 11, operated by Korean Air, according to the European country's top diplomat to Seoul and the national carrier.
This marks the first time the two cities on opposite ends of the Eurasian continent will be directly connected since March 2020, when flights were halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The new route was established following strong advocacy from the Portuguese government, which had long hoped for a direct connection between the two nations.
The Incheon-Lisbon route will initially operate as a public charter under Korean Air, running three flights per week from Sept. 11 to Oct. 25. The decision to launch charter flights was to assess passenger demand, as a scheduled service would require the airline to maintain operations even if demand was low. However, with bookings already exceeding expectations, the route will continue as a regular service starting in late October.
"It starts as a charter flight and will become a regular flight very soon," Susana Vaz Patto, the Portuguese ambassador to Korea, said during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily at her office in Seoul on Aug. 21. "The fact that the flights during the first weeks are already full is significant proof that the flights will succeed."
This new route is particularly noteworthy as it will be the only direct flight from Northeast Asia to Lisbon. Previously, travelers from Asia had to transfer through France or Spain to reach Lisbon, while the introduction of this direct route is expected to significantly improve the travel experience for passengers.
Lisbon is not only positioning itself as a major tourist destination but also as a hub for business travelers. Its location between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic makes it a gateway not only to Portugal but to Europe, as well as to Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa and South America. This boosts its appeal as an attractive base for businesspeople seeking to expand into these regions, Patto added.
Below are excerpts from the interview, edited for length and clarity.
![Port wines in glasses with view of the Douro River in the city of Porto, Portugal [LOTTE TOUR]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/09/07/e2dd7f87-81ea-496b-892d-f3be33502d9f.jpg)
Port wines in glasses with view of the Douro River in the city of Porto, Portugal [LOTTE TOUR]
For the time being, it's a charter flight, but it will soon be a regular flight when the winter season starts. It had to start as a charter flight due to administrative and bureaucratic reasons. First, Korean Air asked the Portuguese authorities for the right to charter flights, and the Korean government later approved the direct transportation rights.
[Tourists from Northeast Asia] will probably use Seoul as a hub to go to Portugal, and since Lisbon is also a hub for many people in Africa, Brazil or the east coast of the United States, it might also be helpful for business people or tourists to travel to these destinations.
![The Dom Luis I Bridge and the Douro River in the city of Porto, Portugal [LOTTE TOUR]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/09/07/2fda2f57-22bf-4bdd-bd61-026d9cf21d80.jpg)
The Dom Luis I Bridge and the Douro River in the city of Porto, Portugal [LOTTE TOUR]
The region around Lisbon is very pretty. The castles in Sintra are extremely pretty. I know that Koreans have a soft spot for Porto. Between Porto and Lisbon, there is the city of Coimbra, which has a fantastic, very old university that is magnificent and very worthwhile to visit. And then in the south, I would say Evora and Sagres are very pretty cities that deserve a visit.
I would definitely say you are top-notch in the automotive and semiconductor sectors. But I guess that there are others, for instance, CS Wind that builds wind towers to export to other countries in Europe and to the United States. Since we are very strong on renewable energies and wind energy, I think it also makes sense to have a partnership with Korea in those areas. Examples of Korean companies doing great in Portugal, such as CS Wind and Hanwha Solutions, should send a good message to others still discovering Portugal. We believe that Hyundai or Kia, for instance, would gain a lot by closely looking at the opportunities that Portugal has to offer.
![View of a hybrid power park with solar panels and wind turbines in Sabugal, Portugal. [REUTERS/YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/09/07/38475bec-d16d-4321-852d-cdc59875e878.jpg)
View of a hybrid power park with solar panels and wind turbines in Sabugal, Portugal. [REUTERS/YONHAP]
We have a privileged location facing the Atlantic Ocean and excellent connections with South America, Africa and the East Coast of the United States. CS Wind exports directly to the United States through the Port of Aveiro. Not many countries can offer such fantastic spots for exporting the plant's production.
The government has also been developing policies to support the technology sector through tax incentives and innovation subsidies for companies that want to produce in Portugal. There are also funding programs for startups or research and development projects. So, I think that all this creates an interesting and welcoming environment for companies.
![Participants of the Korean-Portuguese Business Forum, including Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chey Tae-won, third from left in the front row, and Prime Minister of Portugal Antonio Costa, fourth from left in the front row, pose for a photo at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno District, central Seoul, on April 12, 2023. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/09/07/b7c37a50-4111-44e0-af85-17950ff1dfc7.jpg)
Participants of the Korean-Portuguese Business Forum, including Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chey Tae-won, third from left in the front row, and Prime Minister of Portugal Antonio Costa, fourth from left in the front row, pose for a photo at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno District, central Seoul, on April 12, 2023. [YONHAP]
We also developed a legal framework to welcome these migrants. For instance, a multilateral agreement recently signed with Portuguese-speaking countries established easier procedures for citizens from these countries to get residence permits and visas to live in Portugal.
This policy has worked well in Portugal. We have a large Brazilian and African community, but also people from Nepal, Pakistan, India, the Philippines and many other countries. We also help refugees from around the world, including people fleeing the war in Ukraine.
![Susana Vaz Patto, the Portuguese ambassador to Korea, poses for a photo after an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on Aug. 21 at the temporary office of the Portuguese Embassy in Jongno District, central Seoul. [PARK SANG-MOON]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/09/07/16f0c3e4-735a-45ff-ac23-8366f29c2980.jpg)
Susana Vaz Patto, the Portuguese ambassador to Korea, poses for a photo after an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on Aug. 21 at the temporary office of the Portuguese Embassy in Jongno District, central Seoul. [PARK SANG-MOON]
BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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