"High Bird Strike Risk Period"... Only One Staff on Duty During Jeju Air Disaster

Only One Staff Member Assigned on Holidays
Personnel Concentrated After 9 a.m. on Weekdays

Officials from the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, who are investigating the cause of the Jeju Air passenger plane accident at Muan International Airport in Jeonnam, are conducting an on-site inspection of the azimuth facility (localizer). Photo by Yonhap News

Concerns have resurfaced regarding the minimal staffing at Muan International Airport during the time of the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster on December 29, despite it being a period with a high risk of bird strikes.

According to the "Muan Airport Bird Strike Risk Management Plan" obtained by Assemblyman Kim Moonsu (Suncheon, Gwangyang, Gokseong, Gurye-gap, Jeonnam) of the Democratic Party of Korea on January 6, five out of nine bird strike incidents at Muan International Airport between 2013 and 2019 occurred before 9 a.m.

On December 29, 2024, which was a Sunday when the disaster occurred, only one staff member was on duty before 9 a.m. In contrast, on weekdays after 9 a.m., three staff members-one day-shift worker and two out of three shift workers-were assigned, resulting in more personnel being concentrated during hours when the risk of bird strikes is relatively lower.

Experts point out that winter, when the accident occurred, is a period of intense migratory bird activity, making bird strike risk management even more critical. Migratory birds arriving on the Korean Peninsula in winter typically travel at night or dawn and then descend to low altitudes or move in flocks from just before sunrise through the early morning. During this process, the risk of collisions between aircraft and birds increases significantly in airspace adjacent to runways and low-altitude flight paths, according to common analyses from both avian ecology and aviation safety experts.

Assemblyman Kim emphasized, "Assigning minimal personnel during winter mornings, when migratory bird activity and bird strike risks are high, is not merely a staffing issue but a structural flaw in the overall risk management system."