A Korean Air plane was forced to U-turn and make an emergency landing after dropping more than 25,000 feet due to a fault in the aircraft’s pressurization system. According to the Independent, flight KE189 departed Seoul’s Incheon International Airport (ICN) on June 22, 2024, at about 16:45 local time, headed for Taichung International Airport (RMQ) in Taiwan.

However, 50 minutes into its journey, the Boeing 737 Max 8 plane started descending sharply and fell about 26,900 feet in around 15 minutes. According to FL360aero, the message ”pressure system (pressure control function of the aircraft) abnormality” was displayed while the aircraft was flying over Jeju Island.

As a result, several passengers experienced hyperventilation and ear pain, prompting oxygen masks to be released inside the cabin of the plane. One passenger told The Taipei Times that children on the flight were crying when oxygen masks were deployed during the flight’s plunge.

 Another passenger said she felt something was amiss as the aircraft seemed to be hovering in the air and the flight attendants remained in their seats.

Upon landing in Taichung, Taiwan, 17 people were evaluated at medical facilities and were later discharged without severe injuries.

Korean Air apologised to ”all affected by this incident”, and said, ”We are fully cooperating with all relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. We have provided comprehensive support to affected passengers, including accommodation, meals, and transportation arrangements.’

The flight resumed on the morning of June 23 with a different aircraft, about 19 hours after the initial departure schedule. passengers, who arrived at Taichung International Airport, said they were frightened and that they would not take a flight for a while, Taipei Times reported.

A Korean Air spokesperson said the airline is conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the pressurisation system malfunction, intending to address any maintenance issues before returning the aircraft to service.

Boeing, the plane that suffered a malfunction during the flight, has been under massive pressure following a string of incidents involving their planes. 

A Southwest Airlines flight from Honolulu to Lihue, Hawaii, narrowly avoided disaster in April after a dramatic descent due to bad weather, according to The New York Post. The Boeing 737 Max 8, identified as Southwest Flight 2786, was forced to abandon its landing approach because of low visibility and plunged several hundred feet within seconds.

According to the news report, the rapid descent, significantly faster than the usual rate, put the plane just 400 feet from the ocean surface. Thankfully, the crew reacted swiftly and regained control, climbing the aircraft at a steep rate to avoid a potential crash.

According to a report obtained byBloomberg, the incident is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The report indicates that a “newer” first officer was in control of the aircraft during the approach due to the short flight time. When the landing became impossible due to weather, the pilot took over, but the first officer inadvertently pushed the controls forward during a critical moment, causing the descent.

The pilot was “pitching up and pitching down with the power and close to out of control-very close,” Kit Darby, a former commercial airline pilot and flight instructor, told the outlet. “It would feel like a roller coaster ride.”

The pilot quickly rectified the situation by increasing thrust, allowing the plane to climb safely.

Southwest Airlines released a statement emphasising their commitment to safety and mentioned reviewing internal data to ensure crew members receive proper training and communication protocols are followed.

Mumbai:

Air India subsidiary Air India Express on Friday said it has taken the delivery of its first two new Boeing 737 MAX-8 aircraft at the Boeing facility in Washington, USA. These deliveries are a part of the 470 aircraft order that Air India Group had placed with Boing and Airbus earlier this year and come ahead of the merger of another subsidiary AIX Connect (earlier known as AirAsia India) with Air India Express.

Once the merger is completed, the combined entity will operate as a low-cost arm of Air India.

The new fleet will enable Air India Express to expand its domestic and international network, the airline said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Air India Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson in his weekly message to employees said that the airline’s first widebody aircraft from Airbus, A350 will enter in service from December this year.

Air India also said that it has completed the acquisition of its first A350-900 aircraft by way of a finance lease transaction with HSBC through GIFT City.

This is also the first wide-body aircraft to be leased through the GIFT City, the country’s first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), it said.

These Boeing 737-8 aircraft, Air India Express in the statement said, are fuel-efficient and technologically advanced, recognised for their exceptional performance and comfort, and will undoubtedly elevate the travel experience for the guests.

The 737 MAX-8 aircraft marks a critical step forward towards more sustainable operations. With its advanced technology winglets and efficient engines, it achieves a 20 per cent reduction in fuel use and emissions while also significantly decreasing noise pollution by 50 per cent compared to older models, as per the airline.

This also offers up to 14 per cent lower airframe maintenance costs, Air India Express said.

The 470 aircraft order includes 40 A350s, 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, 10 Boeing 777Xs, 140 A320 neos, 70 A321 neos and 190 Boeing 737MAXs.

Of the 40 A350s, six are A350-900 planes and five of them are scheduled for delivery through March 2024.

Air India signed purchase agreements to acquire these aircraft with Airbus and Boeing in June this year.

Currently, Air India has a fleet of 116 planes, including 49 wide-body aircraft. The total includes 27 B787-8s, 14 B777-300s, 8 B777-200LRs, 14 A319s, 36 A320 neos, 13 A321 ceos and 4 A321 neos.

Meanwhile, Tata Group is in the process of consolidating its airline business as part of which AIX Connect is getting merged with Air India Express and Vistara will be merged with Air India. Vistara is a joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines, which holds a 49 per cent stake in the carrier. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)