Plane parts replacement stranded more than 300 Korean Air passengers in London for 23 hours

Home > Business > Industry

Plane parts replacement stranded more than 300 Korean Air passengers in London for 23 hours

Published: 26 Aug. 2024, 12:51 Updated: 26 Aug. 2024, 17:51

Korean Air’s aircraft Boeing 787-8 takes off from an airfield. [KOREAN AIR]

More than 300 Korean Air passengers were stranded in London for 23 hours due to the replacement of essential plane parts before departure, with the lengthy delay mirroring a similar incident from the previous week.

The aircraft, scheduled to depart at 7:55 p.m. on Aug. 23 (local time), was discovered to have a defect during preflight preparations when a warning message appeared after the engine was started. Several engine-related components, including sensors, required replacement. These components were not available in London, necessitating procurement and maintenance at a different location.

300 Korean Air passengers stranded in London for 21 hours

Korean Air provided accommodation and meals for the 318 passengers affected by the delay. The plane was finally able to take off at 7:15 p.m. the following day, resulting in a total delay of 23 hours and 30 minutes.

This incident follows the cancellation of a Korean Air flight to Korea on Aug. 18, which left more than 300 passengers stranded in London for approximately 21 hours after a catering vehicle collided with one of the airline's aircraft.

Budget airline Jin Air, a subsidiary of Korean Air, also faced delays on Aug. 24. A flight scheduled to leave Busan's Gimhae International Airport at 10:10 p.m. for the Philippines was delayed due to plane defects discovered before departure. The delay was further extended due to curfew restrictions on air routes. In response, Jin Air accommodated 123 passengers in a nearby hotel, which lacked enough rooms, forcing some passengers to share rooms.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [yoon.seungjin@joongang.co.kr]