INCHEON- South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport announced on December 19, 2024, that fines have been imposed on Delta Air Lines (DL), Korean Air (KE), and Air Astana (KC) for violating the Aviation Business Act.
The decision followed a review by the Administrative Action Review Committee, with the airlines notified of the results on December 3, 2024, and given an opportunity to present their perspectives.
Delta, Korean Air Fined by Korea
The violations stem from incidents involving operational and reporting failures. On July 23, Korean Air’s flight from Incheon (ICN) to Delhi (DEL), India experienced a malfunction, requiring maintenance.
Passengers were forced to remain in the waiting area for four hours and eight minutes while the aircraft prepared for departure. This exceeded the regulatory limit of four hours for international flights.
Ministry of Land, Infra, and Transport imposed a fine of 25 million won ($17,221) on Korean Air.
Delta Air Lines faced penalties for an incident on August 24, 2024, where a malfunctioned aircraft on the Incheon-Atlanta route delayed passengers on board for four hours and 58 minutes.
Additionally, the airline failed to report fares for its upcoming Incheon-Salt Lake City (SLC) route, scheduled to launch on June 12 next year.
Ministry of Land, Infra, and Transport imposed a fine of 35 million won ($24,122) on Delta Air Lines.
Air Astana violated the fare reporting requirement by selling tickets for the Incheon-Astana route without proper notification to the ministry. Air Astana was fined 10 million won ($6,892)
“We have imposed appropriate disciplinary measures on airlines for violating regulations that could cause inconvenience and harm to air traffic users,” stated Kim Yong-guk, aviation policy officer at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
He added that the ministry maintains strict oversight to ensure compliance with aviation laws and regulations in the country.
US DOT Fines
Recently, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued significant fines against Ethiopian Airlines (ET), Etihad Airways (EY), and Emirates (EK) for operating flights through restricted airspace under codeshare agreements, violating federal aviation regulations.
Ethiopian Airlines was fined $425,000, and Etihad Airways received a $400,000 fine after a detailed investigation uncovered their use of prohibited airspace while operating flights with other airlines’ designator codes. The violations highlight serious breaches of U.S. aviation safety standards.
In September 2024, USDOT penalized Air Canada (AC) with a $250,000 fine for operating multiple flights through restricted Iraqi airspace between October 2022 and January 2023. These flights, conducted in partnership with United Airlines, connected the United Arab Emirates and Canada, breaching airspace restrictions.
Emirates faced the highest penalty, with a $1.5 million fine issued on June 13, for repeated violations of prohibited airspace regulations. Between December 2021 and August 2022, Emirates operated flights through the Baghdad Flight Information Region while carrying JetBlue Airways’ designator code.
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