Seoul – The daughter of the boss of Korean Air was found guilty of violating aviation laws and given jail time yesterday, two months after she forced a taxiing plane to return to its gate during a row over how she was served nuts.
Cho Hyun-ah, 40, was handed a one-year sentence after being found guilty of forcing a flight to change its route, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The high-profile case put Cho, the daughter of Korean Air chairman Cho Yang-ho, at the centre of a public outcry over apparent privileges accorded to members of South Korea’s top family-owned businesses, known as chaebol.
Cho had pleaded not guilty to most serious charges against her, arguing the airport runway should not be considered part of the “air route”, Yonhap said.
“It is questionable whether Cho truly feels remorseful,” Judge Oh Seong-woo was quoted as saying in the ruling in Seoul.
Prosecutors had sought a prison term of three years.
Cho was cleared of the charge of obstructing the course of justice, relating to a government investigation of the incident.
“I know what I’ve done wrong, and I am really sorry for the victims,” said a letter by Cho read out by the judge.
Cho flew into a rage on board a Korean Air flight on December 5 when the attendant in first class served her macadamia nuts in a bag rather than on a plate.
A blazing row ensued in which Cho, who was a vice-president of the airline at the time, ordered the pilots to return the aircraft to the gate at John F Kennedy Airport in New York, where she had the chief steward taken off.
Sapa-dpa