"Planes Grounded at Muan Airport Cause Losses"… Jin Air Files Lawsuit for Flight Permission and Compensation

Jin Air has filed a lawsuit requesting permission to move its passenger aircraft that has been grounded at Muan International Airport for a month and a half following the Jeju Air passenger plane accident in December last year. The airline also filed a damages claim lawsuit against the government, citing losses incurred from being unable to operate the aircraft.

Jin Air B737-800 aircraft. Provided by Jin Air

According to the aviation industry on the 11th, Jin Air filed an administrative lawsuit on the 5th at the Busan District Court against the head of the Busan Regional Aviation Administration of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which oversees Muan Airport, seeking the cancellation of the 'refusal to grant flight operation permission.'

Jin Air's B737-800 passenger aircraft (HL8012) departed from Taipei, Taiwan on the morning of December 29 last year, the day of the Jeju Air accident, and landed at Muan Airport around 8:54 a.m. Since then, it has been unable to move for 44 days. This was due to the runway closure caused by the Jeju Air accident that occurred at around 9:03 a.m. on the same day. Jin Air reportedly applied for irregular flight operation permission five times during this period, but all were rejected.

Jin Air maintains that there are no technical or safety issues with moving the aircraft. They explained that the runway length necessary for takeoff is secured, and the damaged azimuth facility (localizer), which was affected by the accident, is used for landing and unrelated to takeoff.

On the 7th, Jin Air also filed a damages claim lawsuit against the government at the Seoul Central District Court. The specific amount claimed has not been disclosed. A Jin Air official stated, "With the aircraft grounded at Muan Airport for an extended period, stable aircraft operations during the peak winter season, the busiest period for the aviation industry, have become difficult, resulting in financial losses such as lease fees, parking fees, and additional maintenance costs." Lease fees are reportedly worth several hundred million won per month alone.

Jin Air also revealed that being unable to move the aircraft to the hangar has disrupted the existing maintenance schedule, causing issues with maintaining airworthiness, which refers to the ability to fly safely. A Jin Air official said, "Prompt aircraft movement through approval from relevant authorities is urgently needed for stable fleet operation and aircraft safety management," adding, "Long-term grounding weakens airworthiness maintenance and fleet capacity, increasing the burden of customer inconvenience and business losses."