A Jeju Air passenger plane caught fire during its landing, tragically marking an unfortunate incident less than a month after the airline began regular flights to Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, South Korea.
According to local officials and other sources, Jeju Air launched regular services to several international destinations on December 8, including Nagasaki (Japan), Taipei (Taiwan), Bangkok (Thailand), Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia), and Jeju Island (South Korea). The ill-fated flight, 7C2216, was one of the four weekly flights between Bangkok and Muan.
Jeju Air began operations at Muan International Airport in April 2018, marking the airline’s first regular international flight to the airport. Previously, Jeju Air operated routes to Osaka (Japan), Da Nang (Vietnam), and Bangkok (Thailand) but suspended all international flights in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In April 2023, after a four-year hiatus, Jeju Air resumed flights, starting with a domestic route between Jeju and Muan. This month, the airline expanded its service, making Muan International Airport the site of its first daily international flights in its 17-year history. Gwangju and South Jeolla Province residents have welcomed the new daily routes, providing a convenient alternative to traveling to Incheon International Airport and benefit-free parking at Muan.
Following the recent incident, Jeju Air issued a statement on its website apologizing for the distress caused. “We will do everything we can to address this situation,” the airline said, adding, “We sincerely apologize for any concern this may have caused.”