Air Koryo launches Shanghai-Pyongyang flights

By Michael Rank

North Korea’s Air Koryo has begun twice-weekly direct flights between Shanghai and Pyongyang, a Chinese website reports.

The flights will run each Tuesday and Friday until October 5, leaving Shanghai at 1700 hours, arriving Pyongyang at 1950 and leaving Pyongyang at 1300 hours with the arrival time in Shanghai given rather vaguely as 16 hours.

It quotes the Korean Travel Agency as saying many Chinese [so-called] volunteers want to visit North Korea for the 60th anniversary of the Korean war, while August-October is the Arirang [Mass Games] season, so now is the time to come.

The report also says there is strong interest in visiting North Korea in eastern China around Shanghai, but it until now passengers had to change planes in Beijing or Shenyang which added to the cost and was inconvenient.

It says the first flight was on July 16 and gives the flight numbers as JS522/21. It also gives phone numbers, etc for tourists interested in booking a seat.

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2 Responses to “Air Koryo launches Shanghai-Pyongyang flights”

  1. Michael Rank says:

    I’ve been told that this story is slightly exaggerated and planes only take off if they are full!

  2. Werner says:

    Todays Air Koryo Shanghai – Pyongyang flight ist also cancelled:

    17:00 JS522 AIR KORYO Pudong(T1) Pyongyang Sunan Cancel
    (Source: Shanghai airport online schedule)