Air Busan fire raises call for swifter launch of converged LCC

A recent fire from an Air Busan passenger jet is prompting calls for the swifter launch of a converged low-cost carrier (LCC) supervised by Korean Air, as local LCCs’ continuous involvement in accidents raise doubts on their safety management systems, according to industry officials, Monday. The fire, which erupted on Jan. 28 from an Airbus A321 aircraft at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, came only about a month after a deadly Jeju Air plane crash claimed 179 lives in December. An investigation is underway to find the exact cause of the latest fire, but the sequential accidents from major LCCs here escalate safety concerns. Air Busan is in the process of integration with Jin Air and Air Seoul ahead of the upcoming launch of the so-called converged Jin Air. The merger comes in response to Korean Air’s acquisition of Asiana Airlines. The three LCCs are subsidiaries of the two full-service carriers. Korean Air is set to finish the launch of the single entity in two years. But the continuous LCC fiascos spark the need for a faster launch of the converged Jin Air. Industry officials argued that customers’ uneasiness over LCCs will be alleviated to some extent after the launch of the single LCC with its overall safety management system that Korean Air will supervise.<br/>