By Chung Ah-young
A communications breakdown caused major flight delays at Jeju International Airport for more than one hour, Saturday.
The Jeju Regional Aviation Administration said Sunday that 77 flights were delayed at the airport after communication facilities in its major air traffic control towers and related centers broke down from 6:50 p.m. to 8:06 p.m.
The airplanes which were bound for the terminal circled over the airport or flew back to their airport of origin while departures were grounded for more than one hour.
"We think this is the first communications facility problem since the airport first opened," an airport official said. "We are investigating the exact cause of the problem."
The emergency communication facilities which served as a backup in case the main equipment breaks down also didn't immediately work.
About 50 minutes after a major communications facility malfunctioned, the emergency backup began partial operation at around 7:41 p.m.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said that the backup couldn't immediately work following the major breakdown, because of a staffer's lack of skill.
"We are inspecting the airport and will make it sure that such an incident will never happen again," the ministry said.
The airport currently serves 23.2 million passengers, the second-busiest in the country after Incheon International Airport.
A communications breakdown caused major flight delays at Jeju International Airport for more than one hour, Saturday.
The Jeju Regional Aviation Administration said Sunday that 77 flights were delayed at the airport after communication facilities in its major air traffic control towers and related centers broke down from 6:50 p.m. to 8:06 p.m.
The airplanes which were bound for the terminal circled over the airport or flew back to their airport of origin while departures were grounded for more than one hour.
"We think this is the first communications facility problem since the airport first opened," an airport official said. "We are investigating the exact cause of the problem."
The emergency communication facilities which served as a backup in case the main equipment breaks down also didn't immediately work.
About 50 minutes after a major communications facility malfunctioned, the emergency backup began partial operation at around 7:41 p.m.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said that the backup couldn't immediately work following the major breakdown, because of a staffer's lack of skill.
"We are inspecting the airport and will make it sure that such an incident will never happen again," the ministry said.
The airport currently serves 23.2 million passengers, the second-busiest in the country after Incheon International Airport.
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