How International Airlines & Airports Are Celebrating Lunar New Year
Summary
- Asian airlines and airports experience a surge in arrivals during the Lunar New Year.
- Airlines like Thai Airways and Korean Air decorate their check-in areas and offer traditional Chinese delicacies to celebrate the Year of the Dragon.
- European airports like Manchester, London Heathrow, and Brussels Airport celebrate Lunar New Year by offering gifts, fortune cookies, and special menus for passengers.
The Lunar New Year is one of Asia’s most important and lively festivals. Traditionally, the period surrounding the Lunar New Year witnesses heightened air travel, particularly as many Chinese individuals journey worldwide. In honor of the Lunar New Year, which falls on February 10, 2024, airlines and airports prepare for festive celebrations in the skies and at the terminals.
Asia
The Lunar New Year, primarily celebrated in China, is also observed in countries like South Korea, Vietnam, and others with significant Chinese populations abroad. Asian airlines and airports witness increased arrivals during this holiday period, particularly in China. This year, air trips are expected to reach 80 million in China during the holiday period, a 9.8% rise from 2019, as reported by Bangkok Post.
Another example of increased travel is Thailand’s main airport, Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK). It forecasts 2.36 million passengers from February 4 to 16, 2024, with 1.94 million international and 420,000 domestic passengers. This estimate represents a 32.73% increase compared to the same period last year, according to the Thai newspaper The Nation.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace I Simple Flying
In celebration of the Lunar New Year 2024, Suvarnabhumi Airport has adorned its check-in areas with traditional Chinese decorations, featuring dragons to coincide with the Year of the Dragon. Thailand’s national carrier is also hosting Lunar New Year festivities in Suvarnabhumi Airport’s lounge. Thai Airways invites its passengers to savor a delectable array of traditional Chinese delicacies as part of the celebrations.
Korean Air, South Korea’s flag carrier, honors the Year of the Dragon by showcasing traditional good luck decorations known as Bokjori across its company locations from February 2 to 15. Since 2008, Korean Air has displayed Bokjoris every Lunar New Year to extend wishes of good health and blessings to its customers for the new year.
The Middle East
Middle Eastern airlines are also marking the occasion. For example, Emirates offers curated Lunar New Year menus in lounges across Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, Shanghai, and Beijing. Business and first class passengers are also provided with traditional red envelopes with chocolate coins.
Photo: Emirates
To welcome the Dragon Year, Etihad is also gifting traditional red envelopes filled with chocolate coins to passengers flying to select destinations.
Europe
Airlines and airports in Europe are also commemorating the Year of the Dragon. UK’s Manchester Airport (MAN) is celebrating the Lunar New Year by giving away fortune cookies and plush toy dragons to passengers departing for China from Terminal 2. Meanwhile, UK’s flag carrier British Airways has launched a Lunar New Year menu for passengers on flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
During the week of the festival, passengers traveling through London Heathrow (LHR) Terminal 5 will be gifted red envelopes with chocolate coins, with lion dancers performing on the concourse.
Brussels Airport (BRU) is also holding some activities with Smurfs & friends visiting the airport in Hanfu costumes and giving away some presents.
We have mentioned just a few celebratory events. If you’re traveling this Lunar New Year weekend, feel free to share your experiences with airports and airlines.