Jeju Flight Delays

[Anchor Lead]

Jeju Island is a popular tourist destination in Korea. Jeju airport is always crowded. But as airplanes flying to and from Jeju have become smaller in size, weather and connecting flight matters are not being properly dealt with. Tourists are inconvenienced by frequent flight delays.

[Pkg]

Delays in Korean flights which numbered some 17-thousand in 2013 shot up to around 70-thousand last year. Flight delays have more than tripled in just 3 years. Jeju International Airport had the highest rate of delays in all of Korea. Some 35,900 flights were delayed at Jeju airport last year accounting for 51% of all domestic flight delays in 2016. About 20-thousand flights or 29% of the delays took place at Gimpo International Airport. By airline, Jin Air had the highest delay rate at 26.9%. Over 10,100 of its total 37,700 flights were not on time. Air Seoul, EastarJet and Asiana Airlines also had delay rates hovering above 20%. Low budget carriers are likely to have higher rates. In the case of Jeju International Airport, on top of its single runway and gusty winds in the area, the number of flights has increased to aggravate the timely departure and arrival. The situation in Jeju is also affecting other air routes.

[Soundbite] Rep. Joo Seung-yong(Nat'l Assembly's Land, Infrastructure & Transport Committee) : "Airlines typically use large aircrafts for international flights and smaller planes for deficit-ridden domestic routes. Therefore, the problem is not being solved fundamentally."

For a fundamental solution, experts urge airlines against only focusing on profits but to exert efforts to improve passenger convenience through bringing in larger sized planes.