Airline Employees Speak Out on Cabin Crew Response Controversy
"Forcibly Opening the Door Was Not the Right Thing to Do"
"Please Follow Instructions Based on the Manual"
In the Air Busan aircraft fire incident, where passengers had to open the doors and escape themselves due to inadequate response from the flight attendants, airline employees expressed their feelings.
According to a Yonhap News report on the 29th, a passenger who was on the aircraft where the fire occurred said, "The flight attendant told us to 'stay seated' and brought a fire extinguisher, but smoke was already thick and sparks were falling from the overhead bins." He continued, "As the smoke began to fill the cabin, a passenger sitting next to the emergency exit opened the door, and the flight attendant opened the door on the opposite side, allowing passengers to start escaping," recalling, "It was very chaotic and frightening." Another passenger also recalled, "After everyone was seated and buckled up, someone shouted 'Fire!' from the rear," adding, "There was no separate announcement regarding the fire."
In response, Air Busan stated, "We declared an emergency evacuation after cutting off the hydraulic and fuel systems to prevent secondary damage. We carried out evacuation and other tasks quickly within a short time," but also explained, "The situation was so urgent that there was no time to make a separate announcement." Furthermore, they added, "Passengers seated at the emergency exit must be informed by flight attendants about how to operate the emergency exit during evacuation and agree to assist the crew before being allowed to sit there," emphasizing, "Passengers can operate the emergency exit and evacuate themselves during an emergency."
On the same day, criticism from industry workers regarding this matter continued on the workplace community Blind. A person identifying as an Air Busan employee, A, said, "The flight attendants' top priority is emergency evacuation and preparation for evacuation. What if the engine is running and there is a risk of passengers being sucked in?" He criticized, "In an emergency, you must assess internal and external conditions and evacuate accordingly. It was fortunate that the forcibly opened door was safe, but it was by no means the right thing to do." Another employee, B, also warned, "Please do not act on your own and give interviews pretending to be a hero," adding, "A bigger accident could have happened." C, who works at Korean Air, said, "Flight attendants are the last to leave during an accident. They must risk their lives," and stated, "Passengers may feel frustrated, but they must follow instructions based on the manual."
On the 29th, officials from Busan City, fire authorities, and related airport agencies observed the Air Busan passenger plane fire site at Gimhae International Airport in Gangseo-gu, Busan. On the 28th at around 10:15 PM, a fire broke out on an Air Busan aircraft bound for Hong Kong while preparing for takeoff at the Gimhae Airport apron, leading to the emergency evacuation of 176 passengers and crew members. Photo by Yonhap News.
Earlier, according to Air Busan, an Airbus (A321) scheduled to depart at 9:55 p.m. on the 28th was delayed for about 20 minutes when a fire broke out at the rear of the cabin. The total number of people on board was confirmed to be 176, including 169 passengers, among them 22 foreigners, 6 flight attendants, and 1 maintenance technician. Among them, 3 people sustained minor injuries during the emergency evacuation and were transported to the hospital, and 2 have completed treatment and returned home. Four flight attendants were hospitalized after inhaling smoke but were reported to have no serious issues. Air Busan explained that the fire occurred before the aircraft took off after all passengers had boarded, and everyone evacuated quickly. Park Sang-woo, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "Following the Jeju Air passenger plane accident, aircraft accidents have occurred consecutively," and added, "We will do our best to thoroughly investigate the causes, prepare measures to prevent recurrence, and support and compensate the victims."
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