Gov't suspends flights for failed safety procedures

Jeju Air taking off from Jeju International Airport. [YONHAP]

The government on Friday grounded some flights by Jeju Air and Aero K Airlines for failing to follow safety protocol.

Additionally, the licenses of 10 pilots and maintenance crew members have been temporarily suspended, with the suspensions ranging from 15 days to 60 days.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it was halting the flights of Jeju Air for a combined 27 days. Aero K was grounded for six days.

Jeju Air’s flight from Incheon to Hong Kong has been suspended for 20 days while its flight to Chengdu, China, has been grounded for seven days.

According to the government, between Jan. 1 and April 25, 2018, unauthorized lithium batteries were transported between Incheon and Hong Kong on 20 flights.

Jeju Air also failed in its safety maintenance after one of its flights to Cheungdu skidded when landing, causing a flat tire, after the anti-skid system failed.

Aero K’s domestic flight between Jeju and Cheongju, North Chungcheong, has been suspended as the maintenance crew did not record maintenance for an engine flaw.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]