South Korea plans to overhaul airport 'localizers' after fatal Jeju Air crash (updated)

JejuAir Co

13/01/2025 04:14

(Adds details throughout)
       SEOUL, Jan 13 (Reuters) - South Korea plans to improve
the structures housing the antenna that guide landings at its
airports this year following December's fatal crash of a Jeju
Air plane, which skidded off the runway and burst into flames
after hitting such a structure.
    The transport ministry, which has been inspecting safety
conditions at airlines and airports since the Boeing 737-800 jet
crashed at the southwestern Muan airport, announced the move to
change the so-called "localizer" structures on Monday. 
    Seven domestic airports, including Muan, were found to have
embankments or foundations made of concrete or steel that needed
to be changed, the ministry said in a statement. 
        It added that it would prepare measures to improve the
structures by this month and aim to complete the improvements by
the end of 2025.
        The government has also finished its inspection of six
domestic airlines flying Boeing 737-800s, and found violations
at some operators including exceeding the period of inspection 
pre- and post-flight, and non-compliance with procedures to
resolve plane defects or passenger boarding. 
    The transport ministry did not immediately respond to a
request for comment on whether Jeju Air  089590.KS  was among
the airlines where violations were found. A Jeju Air
spokesperson could not be immediately reached.
    A special safety inspection of the country's major airport
facilities will also take place between Jan 13-21, the ministry
statement said. 

    <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
South Korea jet crash puts fast-growing Jeju Air's safety under
scrutiny    https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-korea-jet-crash-puts-fast-growing-jeju-airs-safety-under-scrutiny-2025-01-10/
Jeju Air black box data missing from crucial minutes before
crash    https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-korea-jeju-air-jet-blackboxes-stopped-recording-4-minutes-before-crash-2025-01-11/
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
 (Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Ed Davies and Kate
Mayberry)
 ((joyce.lee@tr.com;))