Jeju Air reduces flight operations by March

Jeju Air will reduce its flight operations by approximately 1,900 flights until March. Song Kyung-hoon, head of Jeju Air's Management Support Division, held the sixth briefing on the recent Jeju Air passenger plane crash in Muan, South Jeolla Province, at the Mayfield Hotel in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, on Friday. "We will reduce operations by 1,900 flights from January to March," Song announced. "Once administrative procedures are completed, we will notify customers sequentially."

"We will reduce winter operations by 10 to 15 percent until March 2025 to further enhance operational stability," Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae stated on Tuesday. The measures aim to strengthen flight safety and alleviate the workload on employees.

According to the aviation industry, Jeju Air plans to scale back operations on several domestic and international routes, including flights between Incheon and Narita, Osaka, Fukuoka, Guam, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Da Nang, and Bohol. Typically operated two to four times daily, these routes will likely reduce about half their daily flights during the adjustment period. Jeju Air also considers reductions on routes such as Busan to Narita and Kaohsiung.

"Revenue declines are not a priority at this time. Ensuring operational stability is our foremost task," Song stated. "We hope that this incident does not overshadow the efforts of other airlines," he added. "We have agreed to support funeral costs and condolence payments for the victims' families and will ensure swift disbursement."


변종국기자 bjk@donga.com