By The Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air completed 13 consecutive flights within 48 hours before the accident, sparking concerns about potential overuse.
According to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, the Boeing 737-800 had an intense flight schedule prior to the crash at Muan Airport in South Jeolla Province on December 29, which resulted in the loss of 179 lives.
In the 48 hours before the disaster, the aircraft repeatedly flew between Muan, Jeju Island, and Incheon, located west of Seoul. It also made international trips to destinations such as Beijing, Bangkok, Kota Kinabalu, Nagasaki, and Taipei in Taiwan.
The Boeing 737-800 was primarily used for charter flights, catering to the travel needs of large group tours organized by a Gwangju-based travel company. This company had previously offered a 5-day Christmas package tour to Bangkok.
On its return flight from Bangkok on December 29, the plane reportedly collided with a bird and experienced landing gear issues, forcing the pilot to perform a belly landing at Muan Airport. However, the aircraft failed to reduce speed, crashed into a concrete wall at the end of the runway, and caught fire. Only two flight attendants seated in the tail section survived.
Aviation experts have raised concerns about whether Jeju Air may have been operating beyond capacity by scheduling an intense number of charter flights during the busy year-end season.
Most domestic airports in South Korea primarily handle charter flights operated by low-cost carriers like Jeju Air.
“Domestic airports have very few regular scheduled flights and usually accommodate charter flights. Most of the airlines operating at domestic airports are low-cost carriers that rely heavily on charter flights,” a South Korean tourism industry official explained.
Jeju Air is known for having one of the highest average aircraft utilization rates among South Korea’s domestic airlines. Data from the company shows that, between July and September, each plane in its fleet flew an average of 418 hours per month—the highest among the six low-cost carriers in the country.
In South Korea, low-cost airlines typically operate Boeing 737-800 planes. Jeju Air leads with the largest fleet, owning 39 of these aircraft. After the tragic incident that resulted in 179 fatalities, South Korea announced a special inspection of all Boeing 737-800 planes nationwide. Acting President Choi Sang-mok has also called for an urgent safety review of the entire aviation system.