Search operations are under way by police officers near Muan International Airport, southwestern South Korea, on Jan. 4, 2025, following the crash of a Jeju Air passenger plane that killed all but two of the 181 people onboard. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — Jeju Air Co., the embattled low-cost carrier (LCC) facing intense scrutiny over a recent aircraft crash that claimed 179 lives, recorded the largest number of flight delays among domestic airlines due to maintenance during the first half of 2024, government data showed Monday.
According to the data from the transport ministry submitted to Rep. Lee Yeon-hee of the main opposition Democratic Party, 536 flights out of the total 52,883 during the first six months of last year were delayed due to maintenance reasons.
The tally was the highest among domestic airlines, even surpassing industry-leading full-service carrier Korean Air Co., which had more total flights but fewer maintenance-related delays at 422.
Jeju Air also significantly outpaced other LCCs, such as T’way Air Co., Jin Air Co. and Air Busan Co., which recorded 315, 243 and 227 delays, respectively.
The rate of delays due to maintenance for Jeju Air stood at 1.01 percent, exceeding the overall industry average of 0.64 percent during the period.
(Yonhap)
