Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.
Eastar Jet suspends operation of B737 Max 8
Eastar Jet's B737 Max 8. Courtesy of Eastar Jet
By Kim Hyun-bin
By Kim Hyun-bin
Eastar Jet has temporarily suspended operation of two Boeing 737 Max 8 jets as safety issues have emerged following the crashes of two of the same model aircraft overseas within six months.
Eastar Jet is the only airline in the country that operates the airplane, and has used them for flights to Jeju, Japan and Southeast Asian countries.
“The decision to ground the two B737 Max 8 planes was made in response to customers' fears and worries, separate from the need to find the cause of the accidents. We will halt operations of the model starting Wednesday,” Eastar Jet said in a statement, Tuesday.
“We will resume operations after we and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport conduct a thorough investigation and they are deemed safe to fly,” the airline added.
A day earlier, employees of Eastar Jet urged the company to ground its two B737 Max 8 jets, citing safety issues.
A pilot of the airline posted a message on the company's intranet Monday, titled, “Request to suspend the operation of the B737 Max 8 until the cause of the accidents is revealed.”
Referring to the crashes of Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines aircraft in October and on Sunday, respectively, the man wrote, “The model involved in the two accidents is the same and are presumed to have crashed from similar causes while flying at low altitude.”
He said the exact cause has not been found, noting, “Pilots cannot be assured of a safe flight in the Max 8. I request the grounding of the aircraft until the manufacturer discover the cause.”
Scores of Eastar Jet employees commented in support of the posting, saying they fully agreed with the writer's request.
After the Ethiopian Airlines crash, nine international carriers and jurisdictions have suspended operations of the B737 Max 8 including Eastar Jet, Indonesia, China, Singapore, and Aerolineas Argentinas.
But some others remain unshaken: the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Monday that U.S. airlines can still fly the Boeing model, affirming the airworthiness of the jet.
The FAA said it will closely examine all crash data from Ethiopia and “will take appropriate action” if data indicates the need to ground the jets.
The Ethiopian Airlines' plane crashed killed all 157 people onboard, and was the same model as the Lion Air jet that crashed in October, killing all 189 aboard.