Universal: Plan Now for Bizav Ops to 2018 Winter Games

Universal Weather and Aviation is recommending that business aviation operators planning to fly in for the 2018 Winter Games should begin planning now for parking, airport services, and crew accommodation due to the anticipated high-demand for ground services during the event. The Winter Games will be held at PyeongChang, South Korea, from February 9 to 25, 2018.

South Korea is normally an easy operating environment for business aviation from the perspective of obtaining permits, airport slots, and parking approvals. But there will be a higher level of demand and more competition among operators during the games, said Jaeseong Lim, the CEO at Seoul-based UBjet Aviation, which is a Universal Aviation-certified ground handler.

The closest airport is Yangyang (RKNY), which is a one-hour drive to the Winter Games venues. However, general aviation will not be permitted to park at RKNY during the games period. Hotel availability will also be a challenge, as options and availability of major international hotels in the PyeongChang area are limited.

Universal Aviation Asia-Pacific regional director of operations Sarah Kalmeta warned that while the landing permit and slot process is standardized in South Korea, operators should expect delays in processing times or find lack of slot availability as the event nears. Operators should also avoid making changes to approved permits and airport slots to prevent issues with reapproval, she added.