Korean Air flight stops on runway; passengers stranded for 90 minutes

Korean Air flight stops on runway; passengers stranded for 90 minutes. August. 03, 2015 07:17. djc@donga.com.

A Korean Air flight made a sudden stop while speeding up on the runway for takeoff, which delayed its takeoff for one hour and 31 minutes. Passengers were only informed through an in-flight announcement that the flight was under inspection and repair, and that they had to stay anxiously inside the aircraft standing on the runway.

Korean Air flight KE1201 with 148 passengers onboard bound for Jeju left the gate at Gimpo Airport at 7:05 a.m. on July 24. The plane was speeding up on the runway amid roaring sound, and came to a screeching halt all of sudden.”

“As many as five minutes after the plane stopped, the captain made an in-flight announcement that ‘the plane stopped due to alarm that went off while preparing for takeoff. Please wait in your seat for a moment,” a passenger told the Dong-A Ilbo. “The captain made three more announcements thereafter. At around 8:10 a.m., cabin crew asked passengers to remain seated 10 to 15 more minutes, and started serving drinking water to passengers.

After waiting in the plane on the runway for over an hour, the passenger saw a couple getting off the plane with their luggage, and demanded change of flight. Then a cabin crew came to him, and checked the passenger’s intent to switch to another flight, but the crew only focused on reading a response manual. After tussles, the passenger was able to get off the plane around 8:25. The plane took off from Gimpo Airport about 10 minutes later.

Four to five passengers among the 148 passengers were able to transfer to other flight, but most passengers who remained seated in silence were not accorded any service. “I initially thought we had to stay put, but I chose to make an appeal after seeing other passengers who were getting off,” the passenger said. “If accident occurred due to a mechanical problem of the plane, only the passengers who made complaint and got off the plane will have survived. I was angry at Korean Air’s negligent response, as it only informed passengers to wait in the plane even though it was grounded on the runway for one hour and 30 minutes.”

Korean Air excused itself by saying that, after an alarm on the speed brake went off, it conducted safety inspection, and then had the plane take off anew because no abnormal condition was found. “Once a plan enters the runway, it should follow instructions from the air traffic control tower, and hence it could not move,” A Korean Air source said. “Most passengers did not raise complaints, and we provided the same service to passengers who wanted to change flight.”