Jeju Air Continues to Lower Average Fleet Age

*This content was translated by AI.

Jeju Air is working to lower the age of its aircraft fleet to ensure safety.

Jeju Air plans to accelerate fleet modernization by returning two aircraft that are over 20 years old. Through this sale, the average age of its passenger fleet has been reduced to 11.8 years.

Following its fleet modernization strategy launched in 2023, Jeju Air purchased and introduced one B737-8 aircraft in February and another in March, with plans to purchase and introduce five additional aircraft by the end of the year.

Jeju Air returned two B737-800 leased aircraft whose contracts expired in November last year and February this year, and sold two purchased aircraft in March and April. It currently operates a total of 42 passenger aircraft, of which 14, or about 33.3%, are purchased aircraft.

The Boeing 737-800 is the core model of the 737th Next Generation series, launched in 1997, and is the most widely used short-haul passenger aircraft globally.

An aviation expert who spoke with this newspaper by phone said of the 737-800, "It is one of the most reliable and safe aircraft currently in active service. The hull loss accident rate is approximately 0.17% per million aircraft, which is very low." The expert added, "However, between late 2024 and early 2026, some aircraft experienced landing gear defects or tire damage incidents."

The B737-8 (737 MAX 8) recently introduced by Jeju Air appears similar in appearance to the B737-800, but it is a model with significant differences in engine performance and efficiency. Jeju Air has improved its cost structure through enhanced fuel efficiency resulting from the expanded introduction of next-generation aircraft. Jeju Air announced that its cumulative fuel costs for 2025 decreased by approximately 16% compared to the previous year.

A Jeju Air official who spoke with this newspaper by phone said, "We are fundamentally improving the quality of our fleet by simultaneously selling aging aircraft and introducing next-generation aircraft."

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*This content was translated by AI.