SEOUL: The Jeju Air Co. aircraft involved in a tragic crash at Muan International Airport, claiming 179 lives, operated 13 flights in the 48 hours leading up to the incident. The frequency of flights has sparked concerns over the potential overuse of the aircraft in a short period.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Boeing B737-800 suffered a suspected landing gear malfunction during its descent. In the 48 hours prior to the crash, the aircraft flew between Muan, Jeju Island, and Incheon, and also made international trips to cities like Beijing, Bangkok, Kota Kinabalu, Nagasaki, and Taipei. This aircraft was serving as a charter flight primarily for group tours arranged by a Gwangju-based travel agency, which organized a 5-day package trip to Bangkok for the Christmas season.
Charter flights, which are scheduled based on demand, are typically used for passengers recruited by travel agencies. Industry observers have expressed concerns about Jeju Air's potential overextension with charter flights during the busy year-end season. Regional airports in South Korea often depend heavily on charter flights operated by low-cost carriers like Jeju Air, due to a limited number of regular flight routes.
"In the case of regional airports, there are very few regular flight routes, so they often rely on charter operations. Since most airlines operating at regional airports are low-cost carriers, the majority of charter flights are run by these airlines," a travel industry official stated. Jeju Air reportedly has one of the highest average monthly aircraft utilization rates among domestic airlines, with an average monthly flight time of 418 hours per aircraft from July to September, surpassing five other domestic low-cost carriers.
In comparison, other airlines reported lower utilization rates, with Jin Air at 371 hours and T'way Air at 386 hours per aircraft during the same period. Full-service carriers had even shorter average flight times, with Korean Air averaging 355 hours and Asiana Airlines 335 hours per aircraft.