On the 29th, a major disaster occurred when a Jeju Air passenger plane, carrying 181 passengers, collided with the outer wall of the runway while landing at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, causing chaos among other travelers preparing for overseas trips at Muan Airport. Jeju Air, which is managing the incident, stated that it would refund or change the schedules of all flight tickets booked before the 29th without a penalty until January 31 of next year. The changes regarding route adjustments and compensation have been organized in a Q&A format.
─Until when will Muan Airport be closed?
"The runway at Muan Airport, where the accident occurred, will be closed until 5 a.m. on January 7th next year. Depending on the situation on site and the restoration process, the runway closure period may extend further. Currently, the routes departing from and arriving at Muan are fully booked. Airlines operating at Muan Airport plan to decide on resuming flights based on future developments."
─What happens to passengers who planned to use Muan Airport?
"Passengers who were scheduled to arrive at Muan Airport during the closure can return to other airports such as Incheon and Busan. The airlines will provide alternative flights to nearby airports. Jeju Air is reviewing the provision of transportation options."
Currently, the national airlines operating at Muan Airport are Jeju Air and Jin Air. Passengers who were supposed to depart from Muan will have the change and cancellation fees waived under the 'airport closure' condition. This also applies to tickets purchased through travel agencies.
In the case of Jin Air, passengers can cancel tickets for flights departing from Muan without a penalty or change the departure airport once. This applies to tickets with a boarding deadline on or before March 30 and can be changed within the availability of seats through the call center or point of purchase. Jin Air does not provide separate transportation options.”
─What are the cancellation and schedule change fees for Jeju Air tickets?
"Jeju Air has decided not to charge fees for passengers canceling or changing their tickets. This applies not only to the Muan route but also to other regional routes; if tickets were purchased before the 29th, they can be canceled or modified without penalties until January 31 of next year. All tickets with a boarding period until March 29 are eligible, and changes can be made within that timeframe. Passengers can use Jeju Air's customer service phone consultation for changes or cancellations. If a mistake led to a penalty being charged, a refund can be obtained through customer service."
When canceling Jeju Air tickets purchased through travel agencies, the penalty will be waived except for the travel agency’s portion of the ticketing agency fee. If the departing and arriving airlines are different, it should be noted that airlines other than Jeju Air will charge cancellation or change fees.
─What compensation will be provided to other passengers whose schedules changed?
"Other than the waiver of ticket penalties, it is difficult to expect further compensation. If an individual booked tickets, accommodations, etc., the flight tickets can be changed, but accommodations are not covered by the airline's compensation."
─Have the actual number of passengers decreased significantly?
"It varies by airline. Jeju Air previously reported that more than 33,000 domestic flights and 34,000 international flights were canceled from the 29th to 1 p.m. on the 30th. Jin Air noted that no significant changes were recorded that could be quantified. The airline industry expects a temporary decrease in flight boarding and travel demand."