Image: ATR
South Korean airline Hi Air, which began operations in December 2019 and stands out for its fleet of colorful aircraft, announced yesterday, September 1, the suspension of all flight operations until at least September 22.
In a statement, the company explains that the decision was made due to the shortage of flight managers necessary for the safe operation of aircraft. Operations will therefore remain suspended until the recruitment and training of the necessary flight managers is completed.
Flight managers are responsible for overseeing all aspects of flight operations, from planning to maintenance to crew management. They work closely with pilots, ground crew and other airline personnel to ensure everything runs smoothly and passengers reach their destination safely and on time.
“We would like to sincerely apologize for announcing the sudden termination of service for customers using Hi Air,” the company’s CEO said in a statement released yesterday.
In the South Korean domestic market, all of the company’s routes are scheduled to remain closed from September 1, 2023 to September 22, 2023. The planned closure applies to international flights from September 1, 2023 to October 28, 2023.
Hi Air explains that it will immediately create and implement a normalization plan and is making several efforts to minimize the damage to customers.
The South Korean company’s fleet consists of four ATR 72500 turboprops, one blue, one pink, one green and one yellow.
Image: Hi Air