On top of the concrete wall, the question of excessive usage of the plane for profitability has been raised.
According to industry sources, the plane operated 13 flights in 48 hours prior to the tragedy.
Lee Seung-jae has more.
Following the Jeju Air passenger plane crash that killed 179 people on Sunday, questions have been raised about whether the low-cost carrier has been overly focused on profitability by keeping their planes in service longer than their competitors.
According to the Financial Supervisory Service on Monday, Jeju Air’s average monthly passenger flight operation time per aircraft in the third quarter of this year stood at 418 hours, the longest among the six domestic airlines.
The figure surpasses full-service carriers including Korean Air at 355 hours, Asiana Airlines at 335 hours, while other low-cost carriers Jin Air, T’way Air, and Air Busan, all recorded less than 400 hours.
The very plane that was involved in the tragic accident, was also found to have operated 13 flights in the 48 hours before the incident.
While it traveled from Muan, Jeju Island, and Incheon and international destinations during that 48 hour period, the plane typically served as a charter flight for group tours organized by a Gwangju-based travel agency.
The recent holiday season traveling may have also increased the flight operations of the passenger plane.
The concerns over Jeju Air’s passenger planes have also led to a surge in cancellations.
According to industry sources, as of Monday at 1 PM, 68 thousand Jeju Air flight reservations have been canceled.
Of them, 33 thousand were domestic flights, while 34 thousand were for international routes.
Jeju Air said most of the cancellations came shortly after the deadly crash on Sunday.
Domestic travel agencies have also reported a surge in cancellations of tour packages.
While the travel industry is closely monitoring the current situation, it expects demands for travel to continue declining, as public anxiety lingers.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.
Source : Arirang TV, https://www.arirang.com/news/view?id=279481
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