South Korea in Travel Shock as Passengers in Seoul and Jeju City Face Ten Flight Cancellations with over Hundred Delays by Korean Air

Published on December 5, 2025

Air travel across South Korea hit an unforeseen snag starting on 4th and continuing on 5th December, 2025. Recently, passengers flying with Korean Air faced disruptions on a critical domestic route. This situation involved ten flight cancellations and over a hundred delays. These incidents primarily affected services connecting Seoul’s Gimpo Airport with Jeju City’s International Airport. This specific corridor is vital for tourism and business. Travelers rely on its high-frequency schedule. A substantial portion of the flight schedule was impacted. Consequently, hundreds of travelers had their plans derailed. People saw their trips to the island paradise of Jeju City or their important meetings in Seoul put on hold.

A Breakdown of the Affected Flights

The operational data pinpoints multiple evening and morning flights that experienced disruption. The schedule shows a mix of narrow-body and wide-body aircraft being utilized, reflecting the high capacity demands of the route. Aircraft types involved include the A21N (Airbus A321neo family), BCS3 (Airbus A220-300), B739 (Boeing 737-900) and B78X (Boeing 787-10). The flights identified are:

• KAL1387 (A21N): Gimpo Int’l (GMP) to Jeju Int’l (CJU), Thu 06:45 PM KST
• KAL1205 (BCS3): Gimpo Int’l (GMP) to Jeju Int’l (CJU), Thu 06:55 PM KST
• KAL1388 (A21N): Jeju Int’l (CJU) to Gimpo Int’l (GMP), Thu 08:40 PM KST
• KAL1365 (A21N): Gimpo Int’l (GMP) to Jeju Int’l (CJU), Thu 08:45 PM KST
• KAL1357 (B739): Gimpo Int’l (GMP) to Jeju Int’l (CJU), Thu 08:55 PM KST
• KAL1336 (BCS3): Jeju Int’l (CJU) to Gimpo Int’l (GMP), Thu 09:00 PM KST
• KAL1350 (B78X): Jeju Int’l (CJU) to Gimpo Int’l (GMP), Thu 09:15 PM KST
• KAL1344 (B739): Jeju Int’l (CJU) to Gimpo Int’l (GMP), Thu 09:15 PM KST
• KAL1358 (B739): Jeju Int’l (CJU) to Gimpo Int’l (GMP), Fri 07:35 AM KST
• KAL1366 (A21N): Jeju Int’l (CJU) to Gimpo Int’l (GMP), Fri 07:40 AM KST

The flight disruptions are concentrated exclusively on the high-demand domestic route connecting Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport (GMP) and Jeju City’s Jeju International Airport (CJU). This is routinely cited as one of the busiest domestic air travel corridors in the world, with thousands of passengers being moved daily for business, tourism and personal travel. The concentration of disruptions on this single axis suggests that any operational challenge encountered by Korean Air has an outsized impact due to the sheer volume of scheduled flights.

Delays

The scale of the disruption is most pronounced in the delay figures. A total of 104 flights have been logged as delayed, representing a significant 23% of the total scheduled operations. This percentage suggests that a compounding effect, possibly due to earlier operational issues or resource constraints, has been allowed to cascade throughout the daily schedule. When one flight is delayed, the subsequent legs of the aircraft and the crew rotation are impacted, causing a ripple effect that is magnified in a dense network like that operated by Korean Air in South Korea.

Affected Airports

The two major hubs at the center of this aviation disturbance are critical to domestic travel in South Korea:

1. Gimpo International Airport (GMP / RKSS): Serving the capital, Seoul, this airport is the principal domestic gateway for the city. Disruptions here affect passengers connecting to national services and those traveling directly to the capital for business or onward international travel.
2. Jeju International Airport (CJU / RKPC): Located in Jeju City, this airport is the primary aerial link to the popular island destination. Operational challenges at CJU can quickly lead to passenger backlogs, severely impacting the flow of tourists and residents.

Probable Impact on Local Tourism

Given the reliance of Jeju City on air travel for its tourism economy, the flight disruptions caused by Korean Air might have a tangible, negative impact. Jeju City is a premier vacation spot and the cancellation of ten flights, combined with over a hundred delays, creates immediate logistical problems for arriving tourists and departing visitors alike.

Similarly, Seoul’s business and cultural events are often reliant on punctual domestic air links. Delayed arrivals at Gimpo International Airport (GMP) from Jeju City could lead to missed business appointments and disruptions to subsequent travel plans. The overall unreliability demonstrated by the 23% delay rate could lead passengers to seek alternative forms of transport in South Korea or choose competing airlines, temporarily depressing air travel demand on this key route.

What Affected Passengers Can Do Now

Passengers who have been impacted by the Korean Air cancellations or delays are advised to immediately verify the status of their specific flight number (e.g., KAL1387, KAL1358). In cases of cancellation, a full refund or re-routing to the final destination should be offered by Korean Air, often on the next available service. Due to the high frequency of flights between Seoul and Jeju City, alternative flight options may be numerous, but capacity is expected to be constrained. For significant delays, passengers are typically entitled to care and assistance, which may include meal vouchers and for extended overnight delays, accommodation. All affected travelers are strongly encouraged to communicate directly with Korean Air customer service representatives for specific guidance on rebooking and compensation.

-The information provided is sourced from FlightAware.