By Lee Hyo-sik
The government urged air carriers Thursday to strengthen safety measures, warning that they could go bankrupt if their planes crash.
Airlines were also told to upgrade their emergency manuals, and train pilots and flight attendants about how to act in emergencies.
Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Suh Seung-hwan held a meeting with the heads of eight air carriers operating out of Korea to stress the importance of aviation safety.
Present were the CEOs of Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Jeju Air, Jin Air, Air Busan, Eastar Jet, T'way Air and Air Incheon.
The meeting came while Korea grapples with the consequences of a series of man-made accidents which have claimed many lives in recent months.
The ferry Sewol sank off the country's southern coast on April 16, leaving more than 300 dead or missing. A fire in Goyang Bus Terminal, north of Seoul, killed six people Monday, while on Wednesday 21 people died in a fire at a nursing home.
''Airline CEOs should remain vigilant at all times and place top priority on beefing up aviation safety,'' Suh told the CEOs. ''The government imposed a fine on those who violate safety rules or cause accidents in most cases. But from now on, we will take harsher measures. We will not hesitate to ground troublemakers.''
He said carriers have to be aware that they could go out of business if they cause accidents.
In July 2013, an Asiana Airlines plane crashed at San Francisco International Airport, leaving three Chinese passengers dead. In 2011, an Asiana cargo plane crashed in waters off Jeju Island, killing two pilots.
Local budget carriers have often caused flight delays and cancellations, mainly due to poor maintenance.
The minister also told the heads of airlines that they have to secure sufficient numbers of pilots and maintenance personnel when they put new aircraft into operation or begin flying on new routes.
''The ministry will allow only carriers which have well-thought-out plans on plane purchases and the hiring of pilots and maintenance personnel to operate. Airlines should check whether aviators and maintenance technicians abide by a manual,'' Suh said. ''Carriers also have to improve not only the professional skills of pilots and technicians, but also their teamwork and moral responsibility for passengers.''
The minister also asked the CEOs to secure enough spare parts to cope with unexpected airplane malfunctions.
''The government will check whether carriers strictly follow an emergency manual and update it on a regular basis. They need to train pilots and flight attendants on how they should act to guide passengers to safety in emergency,'' he said. ''The CEOs themselves need to actively participate in emergency drills and regularly monitor whether employees are well trained.''
They were also told to draw up contingency plans for the families of passengers at the time of accidents. ''Carriers must be ready at all times to mobilize resources to deal with all kinds of emergency situations. They should also be able to properly respond to the needs of families of passengers.''
The government urged air carriers Thursday to strengthen safety measures, warning that they could go bankrupt if their planes crash.
Airlines were also told to upgrade their emergency manuals, and train pilots and flight attendants about how to act in emergencies.
Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Suh Seung-hwan held a meeting with the heads of eight air carriers operating out of Korea to stress the importance of aviation safety.
Present were the CEOs of Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Jeju Air, Jin Air, Air Busan, Eastar Jet, T'way Air and Air Incheon.
The meeting came while Korea grapples with the consequences of a series of man-made accidents which have claimed many lives in recent months.
The ferry Sewol sank off the country's southern coast on April 16, leaving more than 300 dead or missing. A fire in Goyang Bus Terminal, north of Seoul, killed six people Monday, while on Wednesday 21 people died in a fire at a nursing home.
''Airline CEOs should remain vigilant at all times and place top priority on beefing up aviation safety,'' Suh told the CEOs. ''The government imposed a fine on those who violate safety rules or cause accidents in most cases. But from now on, we will take harsher measures. We will not hesitate to ground troublemakers.''
He said carriers have to be aware that they could go out of business if they cause accidents.
In July 2013, an Asiana Airlines plane crashed at San Francisco International Airport, leaving three Chinese passengers dead. In 2011, an Asiana cargo plane crashed in waters off Jeju Island, killing two pilots.
Local budget carriers have often caused flight delays and cancellations, mainly due to poor maintenance.
The minister also told the heads of airlines that they have to secure sufficient numbers of pilots and maintenance personnel when they put new aircraft into operation or begin flying on new routes.
''The ministry will allow only carriers which have well-thought-out plans on plane purchases and the hiring of pilots and maintenance personnel to operate. Airlines should check whether aviators and maintenance technicians abide by a manual,'' Suh said. ''Carriers also have to improve not only the professional skills of pilots and technicians, but also their teamwork and moral responsibility for passengers.''
The minister also asked the CEOs to secure enough spare parts to cope with unexpected airplane malfunctions.
''The government will check whether carriers strictly follow an emergency manual and update it on a regular basis. They need to train pilots and flight attendants on how they should act to guide passengers to safety in emergency,'' he said. ''The CEOs themselves need to actively participate in emergency drills and regularly monitor whether employees are well trained.''
They were also told to draw up contingency plans for the families of passengers at the time of accidents. ''Carriers must be ready at all times to mobilize resources to deal with all kinds of emergency situations. They should also be able to properly respond to the needs of families of passengers.''
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