It was confirmed that the government shortened the runway at Muan International Airport from 2,800 meters to 2,500 meters because the end safety area failed to meet regulatory standards during a runway extension project. The reduced portion of the runway was designated as an end safety area instead. Authorities plan to investigate how the shortened runway may have impacted the belly landing of Jeju Air flight 7C2216, which resulted in an explosion that claimed 179 lives, leaving only two survivors. According to an exclusive report by the Hankook Ilbo on Tuesday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Busan Regional Office of Aviation — responsible for overseeing Muan International Airport — held a meeting in May to address the runway extension project. The discussion focused on the reduced end safety area caused by the construction. End safety areas serve as buffer zones beyond the runway's end points to mitigate risks if an aircraft overruns the runway during landing. The current end safety areas at Muan International Airport measure 199 meters at both the north and south ends of the runway involved in the tragic accident. The extension project aims to extend the northern section of the runway by 360 meters. However, construction plans made it impossible to use the existing end safety area, or the northern touchdown zone, as it would have disrupted airport operations. To resolve this, the transport ministry decided to shorten the runway by 300 meters and designate the freed-up section as the new end safety area. Starting last month, the northern end of the runway was moved 300 meters inward, with the outer section repurposed as an end safety area. A report titled "Results of Change Management in Air Traffic Control for Muan Airport Runway Extension" by the Busan Regional Office of Aviation detailed this decision. According to the report, the task force held deliberations for a month and concluded that adjustments to airport infrastructure standards would be managed by the relevant authority rather than the contractor.<br/>
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The government will inspect navigation facilities that assist in aircraft landings at all domestic airports, following mounting evidence that a concrete structure supporting a localizer — a navigation aid — may have exacerbated the severity of the impact when the ill-fated Jeju Air plane crashed at Muan International Airport, the transport ministry said Wednesday. The investigation will focus on whether the materials used for the structure and its distance from the runway comply with domestic and international standards. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it is investigating the materials used in navigation aid facilities at all airports nationwide. The localizer, a key navigational aid, helps aircraft align with the runway during landing. On Sunday, Jeju Air's Boeing 737-800 plane struck a concrete structure supporting the localizer, causing damage to the fuselage and sparking a fire that claimed 179 lives out of 181 passengers on board, according to the ministry. The use of concrete for such structures dates back over 20 years, at the time of designing the Muan International Airport, it said. During briefings on Monday and Tuesday, ministry officials initially defended the navigation facility at Muan airport, asserting it met regulatory standards. They also claimed that similar concrete structures were present at international airports, including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in the United States and Tenerife Airport in Spain. However, controversy grew after it was revealed that the ministry's regulations on airport and airfield installation standards require extending a safety zone to the point where navigation safety facilities are installed. Further doubts have emerged within the aviation industry, with satellite images suggesting that airports like LAX may not have similar concrete structures. Ministry officials then said they plan to conduct a comprehensive review of regulations from the International Civil Aviation Organization and other major aviation authorities, including cases of airports overseas. "We will provide a detailed explanation soon, based on a thorough review and expert consultation," an official said. "While our records indicate such structures exist, we will verify and address claims that no such concrete mounds are present at other airports."<br/>
After the Sugar Bowl between Notre Dame and Georgia was postponed in the wake of a deadly terror attack in New Orleans that left 10 people dead, multiple major U.S. airlines are offering travel waivers for those impacted. Those who purchased a United Airlines ticket to or from New Orleans on or before Dec. 31, 2024 with travel dates between Jan. 1 and Jan. 3, 2025 are eligible for a travel waiver, according to the airline. The airline said change fees and fare differences would be waived for the rescheduling of the trip, though the flight must depart by Jan. 6. Tickets also must be in the same cabin and between the same cities as the ticket was originally booked for. Southwest Airlines is offering customers the ability to reschedule their travel plans within 14 days of their original reservation date for those with flights initially booked between Jan. 1 and Jan. 3. Those who have canceled their trip entirely in wake of the terror attack may be eligible for a refund for the unused ticket, with more details on available options here. Delta Air Lines is also offering rebooking for travelers with flights booked between Jan. 1 and Jan. 3, while the flight for the reissued ticket must depart by Jan. 6.<br/>
Southwest Airlines is under fire after customers allegedly used a vulnerability in the airline's boarding procedure to fraudulently declare the need for wheelchair assistance. The issue was recently brought to light by an event on a trip between Florida and Puerto Rico , which infuriated other passengers and raised concerns about the fairness of the airline’s policies. According to reports from the New York Daily News and Daily Mail, more than two dozen passengers on a recent Southwest flight from Tampa to Puerto Rico boarded early, claiming they required wheelchair assistance. However, upon landing, most of those passengers were seen walking off the plane, leaving their wheelchairs behind. This has led to accusations of passengers "gaming the system" to gain priority boarding and access to better seats without needing genuine assistance. One passenger who was on the flight shared their experience on social media, noting the discrepancy between those who claimed wheelchair assistance and their ability to walk once the plane landed. "I counted 30 pre-boards needing wheelchair assistance. When we get off the plane, 28 of them walk off!"<br/>
The European Union and Switzerland signed new agreements to deepen their existing relationship, which, among others, includes mutual ninth-freedom traffic rights for air carriers. The Aviation Agreement, a part of a broad suite of new and revised agreements, provides unlimited ninth-freedom traffic rights for Swiss-certified carriers to fly within the European Union and for EU-based operators to fly within Switzerland. While the two jurisdictions have already fully liberalised international traffic rights, the earlier agreements did not include cabotage rights. The agreement also foresees the harmonisation of state aid rules, including in aviation, to bring Swiss laws in line with those in the EU. The new agreement will have to be approved by the Council of the European Union (the institution comprising representatives of all member states of the bloc) as well as the Swiss parliament, and receive the consent of the European Parliament before entering into force.<br/>
A three day yellow snow warning has been issued for most of England over the weekend as the UK braces for a cold snap in the first week of 2025. The warning area covers all of Wales, southern Scotland, and almost all of England – barring parts of the southern and eastern coasts – and will be in place from 12pm on Saturday until 9am on Monday. Travel delays and power cuts are likely in the most affected areas of the Midlands, Wales and northern England, which could see anything between 5cm and 30cm of snow. A fresh ice warning has also been introduced, covering all of northern England, Northern Ireland, northern Wales, and much of Scotland, and will be in place until 10am on Thursday.<br/>
Mayotte’s airport has reopened to commercial flights, allowing civilians to return to the French Indian Ocean archipelago more than two weeks after it was devastated by Cyclone Chido. Thousands of families who lost their homes in the storm are being forced to leave emergency shelters but have nowhere to go. Until now, only military or state-chartered planes were authorised to land in Mayotte, delivering humanitarian aid and personnel. As of Wednesday, the five airlines that operated before the cyclone will gradually resume services. CorsAir and AirAustral are resuming links with neighbouring Reunion Island and mainland France. The three others – Kenya Airways, Ewa Air and Amelia – are expected to follow. The civil aviation authority said flights will resume “progressively” to avoid disrupting the ongoing delivery of aid and emergency staff, with around 100 journeys per day.<br/>
Shanghai airports have reported a record-breaking number of annual passenger trips totaling more than 124m in 2024, a 29% increase from the previous year. The total number of flights arriving in or departing from the city increased by 15% to 803,000 last year, while cargo and mail throughput rose by 11% to 4.2m tonnes in 2024, according to figures released by the Shanghai Airport Authority. This growth was fueled by the addition of 10 new destinations, higher flight frequency on 19 existing routes and the resumption of eight routes, with more medium- and long-haul flights and increased flights to and from Belt and Road participating countries operated. Shanghai airports' global aviation network currently covers 291 destinations in 48 countries. Operational efficiency also saw notable improvement in 2024, with Pudong airport's transfer rate climbing to a record 15.7%. Featuring the Pudong and Hongqiao airports, Shanghai is an important aviation hub for both passenger and cargo transportation. <br/>
State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir announced on Wednesday that the government has canceled plans to build a fourth terminal at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport as part of its cost-efficiency measures. The proposed project, estimated to cost Rp 14t ($861.8m) from the state budget, has been deemed non-essential by the current administration. “A new terminal isn’t an urgent need, so we aren’t pushing for a project that would cost us Rp 14t,” Erick said during his visit to the country’s largest airport in Tangerang, Banten. Instead of pursuing the new terminal, the government will allocate just Rp 1t to renovate the existing terminals, Erick confirmed. As part of the renovation plan, the government will establish a dedicated lounge for Umroh pilgrims at Terminal 2, providing a more comfortable experience for travelers embarking on religious journeys.<br/>