Jeju Air to Cut Flights Over Safety Concerns

Jeju Air announced Thursday that it plans to reduce its domestic and international flights due to safety concerns over its Boeing 737-800 aircraft following a deadly crash on Sunday morning.

The South Korean carrier stated during a press briefing Thursday that it would lessen its domestic flights as soon as next week, according to a report by the Yonhap News Agency. Jeju Air also plans to reduce flights on international routes starting in the third week of January.

The reduction in operations comes days after the South Korean government ordered the inspection of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft in the country.

Yonhap reported that Jeju Air flight 2216 may have crashed due to a landing gear malfunction and stated there were “concerns that the airline might have prioritized operations over sufficient maintenance time.”

Investigation of the accident is still ongoing, and officials have not yet disclosed a reason for the crash.

On Thursday, South Korean police began search and seizure operations at Muan International Airport where flight 2216 crashed, a regional aviation office in Muan and Jeju Air’s office in Seoul, according to a CBS News report. In a statement to CBS, police also said that Jeju Air’s CEO Kim E-bae has been banned from leaving the country.

Flight 2216 crashed on Sunday, killing 179 of the 181 people aboard. A Boeing spokesperson told AirlineGeeks that the company is in contact with Jeju Air regarding flight 2216 and stands ready to support them.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew,” the spokesperson said.

The Boeing spokesperson deferred comment to South Korea’s Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) for further information about the incident. AirlineGeeks reached out to ARAIB for comment.

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