Muan International Airport

{{Short description|Commercial airport in South Jeolla, South Korea}}

{{Infobox airport

| name = Muan International Airport

| nativename = {{nobold|{{lang|ko|무안국제공항}}}}

| image = Muan International Airport 20190520 182652.jpg

| image-width =

| caption =

| IATA = MWX

| ICAO = RKJB

| pushpin_map = South Korea

| pushpin_map_caption = Location of airport in South Korea

| pushpin_label = MWX/RKJB

| pushpin_label_position = right

| type = Public

| owner = Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

| operator = Korea Airports Corporation

| opened = {{start date and age|2007|11|08|df=yes}}

| city-served = Gwangju, Mokpo and Naju

| location = Muan, South Jeolla, South Korea

| elevation-f = 52

| elevation-m =

| metric-elev = yes

| coordinates = {{Wikidatacoord|Q484060|type:airport_region:EG}}

| website = {{URL|https://www.airport.co.kr/muaneng/index.do|airport.co.kr/muaneng}}

| r1-number = 01/19

| r1-length-f = 9,186

| r1-length-m = 2,800

| r1-surface = Concrete

| metric-rwy = yes

| stat1-header = Passengers

| stat1-data = 233,337

| stat2-header = Aircraft movements

| stat2-data = 1,484

| stat3-header = Cargo tonnage

| stat3-data = 1,484

| stat-year = 2023

| footnotes = Source:airport.kr.com{{cite web |title=South Korea Traffic Statistics |url=https://www.airport.kr/co/en/cpr/statisticOfLocalAirport.do; |publisher=airport.kr.com }}{{Cite web |url=https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/reports/cheongju-airport-lcc-aero-k-launches-its-new-hub-477508 |title=Cheongju Airport: LCC Aero K launches its new hub |access-date=2019-06-12 |archive-date=2019-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190612122533/https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/reports/cheongju-airport-lcc-aero-k-launches-its-new-hub-477508 |url-status=live }}

}}

{{Infobox Korean name

| hangul = 무안국제공항

| hanja = 務安國際空港

| rr = Muan Gukje Gonghang

| mr = Muan Kukche Konghang

}}

Muan International Airport {{airport codes|MWX|RKJB}} is an international airport in Muan County, South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Construction of the airport began in 1997, and the airport opened on 9 November 2007. The airport serves the province of South Jeolla, especially the cities of Gwangju, Mokpo, and Naju. It replaced the nearby Mokpo Airport, and is expected to replace the nearby Gwangju Airport as well. The airport is managed by Korea Airports Corporation and served 543,247 passengers in 2018.{{needs update|date=January 2025}}

Airlines and destinations

{{airport-dest-list

| {{nowrap|Cambodia Airways}} | Siem Reap{{Cite web|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/241121-krnw24mwx|title=Cambodia Airways Adds Siem Reap – Muan Service From late-Dec 2024|website=AeroRoutes}}

| Jeju Air | Jeju,{{cite web |title=Jeju Air Expands Mainland China Network From late-April 2024 |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240412-7capr24cn |website=Aeroroutes |access-date=12 April 2024 |archive-date=13 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213114420/https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240412-7capr24cn |url-status=live }} Kota Kinabalu,{{cite web |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/241009-7cdec24mwx |title=Jeju Air Expands Muan International Service in Dec 2024 |publisher=Aeroroutes |access-date=9 October 2024 |archive-date=9 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009205116/https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/241009-7cdec24mwx |url-status=live }} Nagasaki, Taipei–Taoyuan{{cite web |title=Jeju Air Plans Muan – Taipei Service Resumption in Nov 2023 |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/231008-7cnw23mwxtpe |website=AeroRoutes |access-date=18 October 2023 |archive-date=3 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103012435/https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/231008-7cnw23mwxtpe |url-status=live }}

| Jin Air | Jeju,{{cite web |title=Jin Air Expands Jeju Domestic Network in NS24 |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240328-ljns24cju |website=Aeroroutes |access-date=28 March 2024 }} Osaka–Kansai,{{cite web |title=Jin Air expands Muan international network in NW24 |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/241014-ljnw24mwx |website=Aeroroutes |access-date=14 October 2024 |archive-date=30 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241130055209/https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/241014-ljnw24mwx |url-status=live }} Taipei–Taoyuan, Tokyo–Narita, Ulaanbaatar{{cite news |url=https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20240412086000003?input=1195m |title=진에어, 5월 무안∼울란바토르 신규 취항 |trans-title=Jin Air, launching Muan~Ulaanbaatar in May |language=Korean |publisher=Yonhap News Agency |date=12 April 2024 |archive-date=28 April 2024 |access-date=28 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240428021453/https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20240412086000003?input=1195m |url-status=live }}

| Lao Airlines | Charter: Luang Prabang{{cite web |title=Lao Airlines Adds Luang Prabang – Muan Charter in NW24 |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/21009-qvnw24lpqmwx |access-date=2024-12-02 |archive-date=2024-12-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202104821/https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/21009-qvnw24lpqmwx |url-status=live }}

| Loong Air | Hangzhou{{cite news|url=https://biz.heraldcorp.com/article/3486261|title=무안국제공항-항저우 정기노선 취항|trans-title=Muan International Airport-Hangzhou scheduled operation begins|website=biz.heraldcorp.com|language=Ko|date=3 October 2024}}

| Lucky Air | Lijiang{{cite web |title=Chinese Carriers May – Oct 2024 Vietnam / NE Asia Network Additions |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240522-ns24cn |website=Aeroroutes |access-date=22 May 2024 |archive-date=22 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522181540/https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240522-ns24cn |url-status=live }}

| VietJet Air | Da Nang{{cite news |url=http://www.jnilbo.com/70536332772 |title=무안공항 국제선 신규 노선 취항 '활기' |trans-title=Muan Airport's new international route 'vital' |publisher=Jeonnam Ilbo |language=Korean |date=22 May 2023 |archive-date=24 May 2023 |access-date=27 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524122950/http://www.jnilbo.com/70536332772 |url-status=live }}

| Vietnam Airlines | Charter: Da Nang,{{cn|date=December 2024}} Hanoi,{{cn|date=December 2024}} Nha Trang{{cn|date=December 2024}}

}}

Statistics

class="wiki table sortable"; style="text-align: center; font-size: 95%" ! colspan="4" \|Air traffic statistics
!Aircraft operations !Passenger volume !Cargo tonnage
2007 \|224 \|15,223 \|159
2008 \|1,841 \|130,014 \|1,173
2009 \|1,032 \|57,716 \|450
2010 \|1,058 \|47,727 \|907
2011 \|875 \|91,133 \|941
2012 \|923 \|96,166 \|957
2013 \|1,237 \|132,603 \|1,329
2014 \|1,499 \|178,414 \|1,738
2015 \|2,355 \|311,922 \|2,677
2016 \|2,330 \|321,675 \|2,751
2017 \|2,146 \|298,016 \|2,243
2018 \|3,818 \|543,247 \|3,890
2019 \|6,585 \|895,410 \|6,762
2020 \|930 \|112,938 \|1,013
2021 \|88 \|7,529 \|35
2022 \|192 \|29,394 \|352
2023 \|1,484 \|233,337 \|2,724
colspan="4" \|Source: Korea Airports Corporation Traffic Statistics{{Cite web \|title=Air Traffic Statistics \|url=https://www.airport.kr/co/en/cpr/statisticOfLocalAirport.do \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114133303/https://www.airport.kr/co/en/cpr/statisticOfLocalAirport.do \|archive-date=14 January 2020 \|access-date=23 July 2023 \|website=Incheon International Airport}}

class="wiki table sortable"; style="text-align: center; font-size: 95%"

! colspan="4" |Air traffic statistics

!Aircraft operations

!Passenger volume

!Cargo tonnage

2007

|224

|15,223

|159

2008

|1,841

|130,014

|1,173

2009

|1,032

|57,716

|450

2010

|1,058

|47,727

|907

2011

|875

|91,133

|941

2012

|923

|96,166

|957

2013

|1,237

|132,603

|1,329

2014

|1,499

|178,414

|1,738

2015

|2,355

|311,922

|2,677

2016

|2,330

|321,675

|2,751

2017

|2,146

|298,016

|2,243

2018

|3,818

|543,247

|3,890

2019

|6,585

|895,410

|6,762

2020

|930

|112,938

|1,013

2021

|88

|7,529

|35

2022

|192

|29,394

|352

2023

|1,484

|233,337

|2,724

colspan="4" |Source: Korea Airports Corporation Traffic Statistics{{Cite web |title=Air Traffic Statistics |url=https://www.airport.kr/co/en/cpr/statisticOfLocalAirport.do |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114133303/https://www.airport.kr/co/en/cpr/statisticOfLocalAirport.do |archive-date=14 January 2020 |access-date=23 July 2023 |website=Incheon International Airport}}

Accidents and incidents

On 29 December 2024, Jeju Air Flight 2216, a Boeing 737-800, crashed during an emergency belly landing at Muan International Airport. The aircraft skidded along the runway before striking a concrete embankment at the runway's end, igniting a fire.{{Cite web |date=29 December 2024 |title=Plane burst into flames after skidding off runway at an airport in South Korea, killing at least 174 |url=https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-plane-fire-68da9b0bd5196feed6e7d2db849f461a |access-date=29 December 2024 |website=AP News |language=en }} Of the 181 people onboard, 179 were confirmed dead. The two survivors, both flight attendants aged 25 and 33, were rescued from the rear of the aircraft, both were severely injured but conscious at the time.{{Cite web |url=https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-society/2024/12/29/VRMXHGNLPNBT5CNCXZ4HJH334Y/?outputType=amp |title=Plane crashes at Muan airport during landing with 175 aboard |website=Chosun Biz |access-date=29 December 2024 }}{{cite news |last1=A-reum |first1=Jang |title=[속보] 무안공항 항공기 추락 현장 사상자 23명 확인 |trans-title=[Breaking News] 23 casualties confirmed at Muan Airport plane crash site |lang=ko |url=https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20241229012900054 |access-date=29 December 2024 |work=Yonhap News Agency |date=29 December 2024 |archive-date=29 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241229005519/https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20241229012900054 |url-status=live }} The concrete embankment at the end of the runway, part of the localizer antenna system, was heavily criticized for its design and placement. It was struck by the aircraft after it overran the runway, contributing to the explosion and subsequent fire that resulted in significant fatalities. Investigations are ongoing to determine the role of the embankment in the crash, alongside other factors such as the bird strike and landing gear malfunction.{{Cite web |title=South Korea plane crash: Why was there a wall near the runway? |first1=David|last1=Mercer|date=2024-12-31|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mvynnxzzmo |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=BBC|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Crash: Jeju B738 at Muan on Dec 29th 2024, gear up landing and overrun |url=https://www.avherald.com/h?article=50423e87&opt=0 |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=The Aviation Herald}}

The airport closed following the crash, and is expected to remain as such until July 18, 2025.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-18 |title=South Korea extends shutdown of Muan airport to April 18 following Jeju Air crash |url=https://www.firstpost.com/world/south-korea-extends-shutdown-of-muan-airport-to-april-18-following-jeju-air-crash-13854059.html |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=Firstpost |language=en-us}}{{Cite news |title=Final search efforts at Jeju Air disaster site completed |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/final-search-efforts-at-jeju-air-disaster-site-completed/ar-AA1xhQiZ |access-date=16 January 2025 |work=Korea Joongang Daily}} Emergency and training flights resumed at the airport on 24 February 2025.{{cite news |date=24 February 2025 |title=Muan airport resumes flights 56 days after disaster |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250224002900315 |access-date=24 February 2025 |work=Yonhap News Agency}}

References

External links

[https://www.airport.co.kr/muaneng/main.do Official website]
{{cite web |url=http://muan.airport.co.kr/doc/muan_eng/index.jsp |title=Muan Airport |work=Korea Airports Corporation website |access-date=25 June 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722133015/http://muan.airport.co.kr/doc/muan_eng/index.jsp |archive-date=22 July 2011}}

Category:Buildings and structures in South Jeolla Province

Category:Airports in South Korea

Category:Muan County

Category:Airports established in 2007

Category:2007 establishments in South Korea

Category:Transport in South Jeolla Province