The Chuseok holidays are nearly upon us, and some people have already started to head for their hometowns. More than 1,000 flights and 24 ferry sailings are scheduled to get people to and from the island, but it’s still very hard to buy tickets. Mike Balfour reports.
[slug]
Mass exodus to begin Friday

The official Chuseok holiday begins on Saturday 26th September, but the annual mass exodus is expected to start a day earlier on Friday 25th, as millions of people head to their hometowns. For the next five days from Friday...


… there will be around 1,070 flights out of Jeju Airport… including 43 special flights.

That’s 10.2 percent more than the 970 flights during Chuseok in 2014.
Compared to a year earlier, the number of seats available is also up 14.5 percent at 184,000.


For those traveling by sea, two extra ferries have been added for the routes to and from Jeju, bringing the total number of ferries to 24.

[slug]
500-ton ferry Queen Star 2 to begin new route

One of them is a 500-ton ferry that will set sail for the first time between Jeju and Wosooyoung(우수영) on Friday.

A special traffic measure period has also been designated from September 26 through 29.

[INTERVIEW]
Im Su-gil / Jeju City Traffic Policy Division
We will be running a special center to oversee transport and respond to any problems.
<인터뷰: 임수길/ 道 교통정책담당>
"여객 수송 상황 파악, 주요 노선 증행, 불편 사항 접수 처리 등의 운영을 하기 위해서 특별교통상황실을 운영하게 되었습니다."

But regardless of all the special measures and increased seats, it’s still very hard to find available tickets.

[slug]
Over 90% of domestic flights reserved

There are no seats left for flights to Jeju on the first day of the Chuseok holiday as well as flights to Seoul on the last day of the Chuseok break. Overall more than 90 percent of all domestic flights out of Jeju have been pre-booked.

[camera]
Ko Moon-su, Hyeon Gwang-hoon

Reserving air tickets for this time of year is a daunting task… especially with the added number of vacationers who decide to travel within Korea during the short Chuseok break.

[INTERVIEW]
Kim Jong-hoon / Jeju Tourism Association
Most of the people that come to Jeju during Chuseok are either vacationers or people visiting relatives. Over 90 percent of all Jeju tickets are reserved, so it’s hard to buy them.
<인터뷰: 김종훈/ 제주도관광협회 제주종합관광안내센터 소장>
"귀성객 등을 포함해서 가족 단위 휴양과 레저 관광객들이 추석 연휴기간 주를 이룹니다. 국내선 항공기 예약률은 90%를 넘고 있어서
*수퍼체인지*
항공권 구하기가 매우 힘든 상황입니다."

[reporter]
Mike Balfour

An estimated 210,000 people will visit Jeju during the Chuseok break. Despite more airline seats and extra ferries, purchasing tickets still could be a struggle.

Mike Balfour KCTV