Jeju Air, 68,000 Cancellations One Day After Disaster

33,000 Domestic and 34,000 International Flight Cancellations
Jeju Air States "New Inflow Volume Is Being Maintained"

In the wake of the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster at Muan International Airport, a large number of Jeju Air ticket cancellations occurred within approximately 24 hours after the accident.

On the 30th, Yonhap News reported, "From midnight the previous day until 1 p.m. today, about 68,000 Jeju Air ticket cancellations were recorded," adding, "Among these, around 33,000 were domestic flights and about 34,000 were international flights." According to Yonhap News, the tally began in the early hours of the previous day, but most cancellations occurred after 9 a.m., when the passenger plane disaster happened. On the same day, Song Kyung-hoon, Head of Management Support at Jeju Air, explained at a briefing held at the Mayfield Hotel in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, "Naturally, cancellations increased significantly after the accident, but new bookings are still being maintained."

On the 29th, a Jeju Air passenger plane carrying 181 passengers collided with the outer wall of the runway while landing at Muan International Airport, causing a fire that resulted in the deaths of most passengers. The wreckage of the aircraft is placed on the runway of Muan International Airport, Jeollanam-do. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

Earlier, Jeju Air flight 7C2216 departed from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand on the 29th and attempted a belly landing (landing with the aircraft body sliding on the runway without the landing gear deployed) on the runway at Muan Airport around 9:03 a.m. However, within about 10 seconds, the plane veered approximately 300 meters off the runway and collided with a concrete wall. Following a loud explosion, the aircraft was severely damaged and caught fire, with most of the fuselage engulfed in flames. There were 181 people on board, including 175 passengers and 6 crew members. According to the Fire Agency's tally, 179 people died and 2 were rescued. As a result, the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster became the deadliest aviation accident in South Korea.

According to the aviation industry and media reports, the passengers on the flight had purchased a 3-night, 5-day golf package tour. The itinerary for the tour, which departed from Muan Airport on the 25th, included: ▲ Day 1 arrival at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport and hotel check-in ▲ Days 2-3 morning breakfast followed by transfer to the golf course for 18-hole rounds ▲ Day 4 18-hole round followed by a Chao Phraya River dinner buffet and visit to Asiatique ▲ Day 5 individual check-in at Suvarnabhumi Airport and boarding the flight to arrive at Muan Airport. The package, which included accommodation, all meals, and 18-hole rounds, was priced at 1,390,000 KRW. It is known that two travel agencies were responsible for recruiting travelers for this tour package.