Eastar Air "Shaking Off Bad Luck"... Wrapping Up Return of Troubled 'Max'

Two Boeing 737 Max Aircraft Scheduled for Return on the 15th
Enhancing Efficiency through B737-800 Standardization

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] Eastar Jet will return all Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft for medium-haul use by the 15th.

According to the aviation industry, Eastar Jet recently completed a special flight permit application for the airspace transit areas upon returning the 737 Max with the Seoul Regional Aviation Administration and Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Accordingly, the company returned one of the two 737 Max aircraft on the 11th through Incheon Airport to Victorville, California, USA, where the MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) designated by the leasing company is located. The remaining aircraft is scheduled to be returned via the same route on the same day.

Eastar Jet decided to give up commercial operation of the 737 Max and began the return process to maximize operational efficiency through fleet standardization. The lease cost for the 737 Max was about 350 million KRW per aircraft per month, and Eastar Jet was spending about 700 million KRW monthly just to store the 737 Max aircraft at the parking apron.

Previously, Eastar Jet was the first domestic airline to introduce the 737 Max in December 2018. The 737 Max has advantages such as higher fuel efficiency compared to the existing B737 and the ability to fly about 1,000 km farther. However, after a series of crashes worldwide due to aircraft defects the following year, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport banned the operation of the aircraft entirely.

The company currently owns two B737-800 aircraft and plans to acquire one more early next year to start commercial operations. Recently, it completed the repayment of public claims such as unpaid wages and applied to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport to change the business license, which was under the name of the former CEO.

Also, after passing a comprehensive review by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport for facilities, equipment, and operations, the company expects to receive an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and officially resume domestic routes between Gimpo and Jeju with three aircraft starting February next year.

An Eastar Jet official said, "During the debt repayment process, negotiations focused heavily on the lease costs of the 737 Max until the very end," adding, "By completing the return of the aircraft, we have overcome a major adverse factor."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.