China's aviation authorities have imposed temporary restrictions on Juneyao Airlines' operations after one of its pilots ignored air traffic control orders to give way to another aircraft urgently seeking to land at Shanghai's Hongqiao airport.
On 13 August, the South Korean pilot of a Juneyao Airbus A320 refused to give way several times to a Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER which had declared an emergency and was attempting to land at the airport.
After investigating, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)'s East China Regional Administration ordered Shanghai-based Juneyao to cut its capacity by 10% for three months. It has also stopped the airline's expansion plans and prevented it setting up new subsidiaries and leasing new aircraft.
The carrier was also ordered to stop hiring foreign pilots temporarily and review the capabilities of its foreign pilots.
It must put its foreign flight crew through at least 40h of ground training within 30 days, focusing on civil aviation procedures in China, under the supervision of the CAAC.
The licence of the South Korean captain of the Juneyao A320 involved in the incident has been revoked, and he has been banned from working in China. The co-pilot's licence has been suspended for six months.
The CAAC said the Qatar 777 was originally bound for Shanghai's Pudong airport on 13 August, but was among 20 aircraft that could not land because of a thunderstorm. It diverted to Hongqiao and the pilot requested permission to land.
Its crew told air traffic control the 777 was running low on fuel and had only 5min flying time left. Controllers arranged for the 777 to land ahead of other aircraft and requested other inbound aircraft to give way.
But the crew of Juneyao flight HO1112 rejected this command, citing insufficient fuel levels. Subsequently, the 777 flight crew issued a Mayday call, which led to another command to the Juneyao flight crew.
"During the entire process, air traffic controllers commanded flight HO1112 to give way six times in the space of seven minutes, but the flight crew rejected this each time," said the CAAC.
The 777 eventually landed safely after air traffic controllers employed "other measures", the CAAC added.
Inspections of both aircraft after landing showed the 777 had a remaining fuel weight of 5,200kg (11,500lb) and a flying time of 18min. The Juneyao A320 had a fuel weight of 2,900kg and a flying time of 42min.
Calling the Juneyao flight crew's behaviour a "serious violation" of aviation regulations, the CAAC said the crew had violated the "career integrity" of pilots.
It said the flight crew of the Qatar 777 had acted appropriately, but the pilots had failed to gauge the aircraft's fuel levels accurately. The CAAC has referred the matter to the Qatari civil aviation authorities.
In response to the CAAC's order, Juneyao said its flight crew has expressed regret over the incident and that the carrier would carry out the agency's orders.
"Juneyao takes the lesson from this episode seriously and will work hard to improve itself and further improve pilot training," said the airline. "The company promises safety is our top priority, and we will commit ourselves to protecting our customers and providing the best service."
Qatar Airways said its 777 captain declared an emergency en route to Hongqiao so as not to compromise flight safety. It said it was "working with the local authorities in China to establish the full facts of the incident".
Juneyao has been ordered to cut its capacity for three months
"Air traffic controllers
commanded flight
HO1112 to give way
six times, but the
crew rejected this"
cAAC
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Source: Flight International
