Asiana affiliate Air Busan began flying on Oct. 26 after receiving delayed approval from the transport ministry. The carrier, described as a budget airline, is part owned by the city government of Busan. Its first flight connected that city with Seoul Gimpo Airport. Plans include international services and flights to the resort island Jeju.

China has opened an airport that ranks as the world’s second-highest, with an altitude of 4,280 meters (14,040 ft.). The airport, at Kangding in the southwestern province Sichuan, is part of a national strategy of building airports in remote places as cheaper alternatives to roads and railways. The strategy has been cited as one reason for building the ARJ21 regional jet of Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China, whose initial version is tailored for hot and high operations.

Vietnam has approved the establishment of a third private airline, ending a suspension on new licenses. The proposed new airline is a regional operator to be called Mekong Aviation. Operations, based on Phu Quoc island, are to begin in 2010. The carrier plans a fleet of 10 aircraft, the maximum allowed. The civil aviation administration has also received an application for another proposed private airline, Saigon Air.