Jeju Air deploys AI system to screen dangerous goods in real time

Jeju Air has introduced an AI-powered program to screen restricted and hazardous items during air transport operations.

The carrier said Sunday it has deployed JRAG, an AI-based dangerous goods guidance program it developed in-house, at its domestic branches and cargo handling sites. The system is designed to help staff quickly determine whether an item may be carried on board or checked as baggage.

JRAG uses optical character recognition and vision AI to analyze labels, ingredient markings and battery capacity of submitted items. When a staff member photographs an item, the system instantly assesses whether it qualifies as a dangerous good and advises on how it should be handled.

The program incorporates the International Air Transport Association's Dangerous Goods Regulations as well as Jeju Air's internal standards. The airline expects it to reduce the time staff spend consulting separate manuals and to ensure consistent application of screening criteria.

Accurately verifying item-specific rules for portable batteries, electronic devices and chemical products is critical at air cargo handling sites. Dangerous goods regulations draw on both international standards and individual airline operating guidelines, making response speed and accuracy central to safety management.

Jeju Air plans to run JRAG first at domestic branches, including Incheon, before adding multilingual capabilities and expanding the system to overseas locations this year. The airline also intends to improve detection accuracy using real-world usage data and to continuously update the system to reflect changes in international standards and internal policy.

"The introduction of JRAG has strengthened the capabilities of our cargo handling staff while allowing us to proactively address potential hazards such as portable battery fires," a Jeju Air official said. "We will continue to upgrade our safety management framework through data and AI-based technology so that customers can travel with greater peace of mind."