Korean Air (KAL) has launched a rolling full-scale inspection of its 112-strong fleet. The action is part of a wider $114 million package of safety improvements announced in response to a punitive 15% cut in domestic services ordered by the government.
The South Korean national carrier has been forced to slash 138 flights, affecting 10 domestic routes, from 25 October because of the Ministry of Transport (MoT) action. The six-month-long mandatory suspension of flights from Seoul to Cheju, Taegu and Ulsan will cost the airline between $30 million and $37 million in lost revenue, estimates KAL.
"We're going to use this time to carry out a full inspection of all our domestic aircraft, starting with the Fokker 100s, Boeing MD-82/83s and Airbus A300B4s," says the carrier. The inspection, which is being overseen by the MoT, will also eventually extend to KAL's Boeing 747s and MD-11s and Airbus A300-600Rs and A330-200/300s employed on international routes.
The government ban follows a succession of incidents since 5 August, when a Boeing 747-400 landing at Kimpo Airport skidded off the runway, resulting in 22 injuries and $98 million-worth of airframe and engine damage. An A300-600R burst six tyres at Pusan and, more recently, an MD-82 overran the runway at Ulsan by 150m (500ft).
KAL's other safety measures include previously stated initiatives, such as equipping its fleet with the enhanced ground proximity warning system, recruiting more foreign pilots, a confidential crew reporting system, mandatory cockpit resource management and line-orientated flight training and English language instruction. It has also equipped its fleet with the aircraft integrated monitoring system and airborne communication addressing and reporting system.
Much of this action has been as the result of audits of KAL by the Flight Safety Foundation and Delta Air Lines. Its US partner carrier recently agreed to a $20 million retainer to assist the South Korean airline to overhaul its flight operations and training.
Source: Flight International
