!["What's the point of downloading a smart pass?"Incheon International Airport is still full of congestion and complaints. [Now News]](https://image.ytn.co.kr/general/jpg/2025/0122/202501221433003191_t.jpg)
The departure hall at Incheon International Airport is experiencing severe congestion, causing complaints among travelers.
Some point out that the waiting time was expected to decrease as the four-stage expansion project of Incheon International Airport was completed, but it has become longer.
The main reasons for the increase in congestion at the departure hall are the peak season, strengthened security regulations, and lack of manpower, and the waiting time has increased significantly.
The Incheon International Airport Corporation cited the surge in passengers due to the year-end holiday, office worker vacation, and student vacation on the 21st, and the prolonged security check-up time due to the nature of thick coats and luggage in winter.
On top of that, tightened security rules requiring shoes over 3.5 cm in heels from the end of last month also affected the delay.
An office worker A (35) recently visited Incheon International Airport for a trip to Chengdu, China, and complained of inconvenience, saying that it took more than an hour for the departure screening alone.
"We installed a smart pass, but we still had to wait in a long line," he said. "Some passengers asked to pass first because the flight departure time was tight."
Cases of equipment failure are also a problem.
B (40), who left for the Philippines on the 9th, suffered inconvenience, such as waiting for more than 20 minutes because the X-ray device at the security checkpoint broke down.
The Incheon Airport Regional Branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions' Public Transport Workers' Union has been demanding additional recruitment, saying it lacks manpower even after the expansion.
Congestion is expected to intensify ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.
The airport corporation expects a total of 2.141 million passengers and an average of 214,000 passengers to use the airport for 10 days from the 24th to February 2nd.
This is more than in 2019, before COVID-19.
As a result, the corporation plans to ease congestion by opening the departure and arrival hall 30 minutes ahead of time and deploying additional security checkpoints and check-in personnel.
A public corporation official said, "As more than 200,000 passengers are flocking a day, we will do our best to ensure smooth operation."
AI Anchor|Y-GO
Edit Caption | Line
#NowNews
[Copyright holder (c) YTN Unauthorized reproduction, redistribution and use of AI data prohibited]
Some point out that the waiting time was expected to decrease as the four-stage expansion project of Incheon International Airport was completed, but it has become longer.
The main reasons for the increase in congestion at the departure hall are the peak season, strengthened security regulations, and lack of manpower, and the waiting time has increased significantly.
The Incheon International Airport Corporation cited the surge in passengers due to the year-end holiday, office worker vacation, and student vacation on the 21st, and the prolonged security check-up time due to the nature of thick coats and luggage in winter.
On top of that, tightened security rules requiring shoes over 3.5 cm in heels from the end of last month also affected the delay.
An office worker A (35) recently visited Incheon International Airport for a trip to Chengdu, China, and complained of inconvenience, saying that it took more than an hour for the departure screening alone.
"We installed a smart pass, but we still had to wait in a long line," he said. "Some passengers asked to pass first because the flight departure time was tight."
Cases of equipment failure are also a problem.
B (40), who left for the Philippines on the 9th, suffered inconvenience, such as waiting for more than 20 minutes because the X-ray device at the security checkpoint broke down.
The Incheon Airport Regional Branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions' Public Transport Workers' Union has been demanding additional recruitment, saying it lacks manpower even after the expansion.
Congestion is expected to intensify ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.
The airport corporation expects a total of 2.141 million passengers and an average of 214,000 passengers to use the airport for 10 days from the 24th to February 2nd.
This is more than in 2019, before COVID-19.
As a result, the corporation plans to ease congestion by opening the departure and arrival hall 30 minutes ahead of time and deploying additional security checkpoints and check-in personnel.
A public corporation official said, "As more than 200,000 passengers are flocking a day, we will do our best to ensure smooth operation."
AI Anchor|Y-GO
Edit Caption | Line
#NowNews
[Copyright holder (c) YTN Unauthorized reproduction, redistribution and use of AI data prohibited]
