Jeju Airport cited for parking longer planes than regulations allow
Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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Official statement
Outcome reported
- Jeju Airport was found to have parked aircraft longer than permitted on a tarmac, exceeding the allowed fuselage length by 3 meters on four occasions.
- The airport also used unsuitable tires for runway friction measurements during winter conditions, potentially leading to inaccurate assessments.
- These issues were identified during a comprehensive audit by the Korea Airports Corporation, which has issued corrective actions.
Jeju International Airport has been cited for allowing aircraft with fuselage lengths exceeding the permitted limit to park on a specific tarmac. An audit by the Korea Airports Corporation revealed that on four occasions between January and April 2024, an aircraft with a 42.5-meter fuselage was parked in a bay designated for planes up to 39.5 meters, exceeding the limit by 3 meters.
The Jeju Airport has parked an aircraft with a fuselage length exceeding the permitted standard by 3 meters on a tarmac.
According to airport regulations, each parking bay has a defined maximum aircraft model capacity. While Jeju Airport's operation rules specify these limits, the audit noted that even with the longer aircraft, sufficient road and space were available behind the plane, minimizing the risk of actual ground safety accidents. Jeju Airport did not contest the audit findings.
The Korea Airports Corporation has instructed the Jeju Airport director to provide training to staff responsible for tarmac assignments and coordination, as well as to airlines and ground handling companies, regarding the maximum allowable standards for each parking bay. This measure aims to prevent future occurrences of similar violations.
The parking bay's permissible standard is for aircraft with a fuselage length of 39.5 meters.
In addition to the parking issue, the audit uncovered another problem related to runway maintenance. Between January and April 2024, Jeju Airport conducted 28 runway friction measurements in preparation for winter snow. However, 22 of these measurements were performed using tires unsuitable for winter conditions, potentially leading to an underestimation of runway friction. Furthermore, the inspection log for the friction measurement equipment had not been updated. The Korea Airports Corporation has mandated the updating of the log format and the use of appropriate tires for friction measurements.
The friction measurement was conducted using tires unsuitable for winter snowfall.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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