Korean Air addresses Park Soo Hong flight delay controversy

As controversy continues surrounding the approximately 70-minute delay of a flight carrying entertainer Park Soo Hong's family, Korean Air has pushed back against allegations of "preferential treatment" by explaining regulations regarding a passenger's withdrawal of intent to disembark.

According to an Xports News report on the 26th, Korean Air stated that even if a passenger expresses an intent to disembark while inside the aircraft, it is possible under regulations to withdraw that intent as long as they have not actually moved outside the aircraft. This explanation addresses suspicions raised online that preferential treatment was provided during the process of Park's family reversing their decision to disembark.

Previously, after boarding Korean Air flight KE415 bound for Guam on the 23rd, Park's family expressed their intent to disembark as their child continued to cry. However, as the child regained composure during the waiting process, they expressed their intention to stay on board. Since the family did not actually leave the aircraft, it is reported that withdrawing the intent to disembark was entirely within Korean Air's regulations.

However, this does not negate the fact that the aircraft's operation was delayed. Flight KE415 was originally scheduled to depart at 10:05 a.m. but took off at 11:15 a.m., approximately 70 minutes late.

Korean Air explained that a delay code for passenger support was assigned, noting that if a passenger expresses an intent to disembark, additional procedures such as cabin security checks may be triggered. In particular, if a passenger has checked baggage, the process of unloading that luggage from the aircraft can begin immediately upon the expression of intent to disembark.

Even if the passenger later withdraws their intent to disembark, time must be spent re-executing the baggage unloading, reloading, and in-flight security procedures that had already begun. Therefore, rather than the delay being caused by exceptional preferential treatment for Park's family, it can be interpreted as a result of the airline's standard safety and security procedures triggered by the initial request to disembark.

As the controversy spread, Park also issued an official apology via social media. He stated that he expressed the intent to disembark out of panic because the child cried severely immediately after boarding, and admitted he failed to realize that requesting to re-board after the child calmed down could take a significant amount of time due to security checks and baggage handling.

Park apologized to the passengers and airline officials, saying, "This happened due to my ignorance regarding aviation-related procedures, and there is no room for excuse.'

Subsequently, a video showing Park repeatedly bowing to other passengers on the plane spread online. A passenger who appears to have filmed the video also shared an eyewitness account suggesting that the aircraft could only depart once the child had calmed down.

Ultimately, the controversy requires distinguishing between whether the act of reversing a disembarkation request constitutes preferential treatment, and whether that process caused significant inconvenience to other passengers. If, as Korean Air explained, withdrawing the intent to disembark while still inside the aircraft is permitted by regulation, then regardless of the question of favoritism, Park has already apologized for the actual inconvenience caused by the delay.

As a decision intended to care for a family member ultimately impacted many passengers and airline operations, the core of the controversy is shifting from the legality of the request to how accurately passengers must understand and respond to aviation security and baggage procedures during unexpected situations.