Korea Job Seekers Hit By SriLankan Airlines Flight Delay
SriLankan Airlines says cick crew delayed Korea flight
COLOMBO – State-run SriLankan Airlines said a flight to Korea was delayed after a ‘cockpit crew member’ fell sick and a rested replacement conforming to aviation safety regulation could not be found until the next morning.
SriLankan flight UK 470 which was to depart on June 20, 2023 at 2020 hours with a batch of applicants seeking jobs in Korea.
“…[D]ue to the various regulations for fatigue and safety that govern operating crew, there was no available replacement until the morning of 21 June 2023,” the airline said in a statement.
“SriLankan Airlines regrets the inconvenience caused to its guests by the delay of UL 470.”
“The airline is also working with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment and Korean authorities to rebook the passengers scheduled to travel to Seoul for work on the next earliest flight.”
SriLankan said its flights to South Korea is primarily based on supporting the travel needs of migrant workers, and has been working with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment since April 2022.
A group of 52 people who got jobs in the fishing industry were scheduled to leave for South Korea as the 800th group who got job mandates in South Korea.
“These flight delays are a recurring issue in the country,” Minister Nanayakkara told the Parliament on Wednesday.
“With these flights delayed, not only in Korea, but also in other places, issues have arisen with the Korean authorities coming to welcome these groups.”
From January 1, 2023 to June 20, 2023, 3354 Sri Lankans have left for work in South Korea.
Of the total 2585 are first timers going to South Korea after passing the Korean language proficiency exam, and 769 are a re-entry group.
There are plans to re-start direct flights by Korean Air.
“The South Korean Human Resource Institute has given us a specific time period to arrive in the country, and if there are any delays they refuse to accept them,” Nanayakkara said.
“But it will take another two months and in the meantime, we hope to send our groups through Singapore.
“From there, they will be sent through Korean airlines. By that way even if there is a delay in flight for 5-6 hours we can cover it.”
South Korea’s Human Resources Department, have expressed their agreement to provide employment opportunities for 8000 Sri Lankans in South Korea in 2023, following discussion with Minister Nanayakkara, the government had said earlier. – EconomyNext
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