Incheon International Airport will open its departure halls one hour earlier and triple its security staff during the busy May holiday period, aiming to reduce long wait times seen during the Lunar New Year.
The airport on April 16 said that departure halls will open at 5 a.m., one hour earlier than usual, from May 1 to 3 to ease congestion during peak morning hours. Passenger numbers are expected to peak on Saturday, May 3, with 218,000 travelers.
To speed up security checks, the airport will deploy 56 screening staff, three times the usual number of 17. New CT X-ray scanners are being installed, although some experienced glitches during previous holiday periods. An Incheon Airport official said, “It’s true that new equipment caused some operational issues, but we expect fewer problems this holiday season as maintenance and training have been completed.”
Self-bag drop machines will be increased from 138 to 144, with additional staff on hand to assist passengers. Parking capacity will also expand by over 6,300 spaces using temporary lots, including shoulders, event spaces, and helipads around the airport.
Airport officials expect an average of 211,000 passengers per day during the April 30–May 6 holiday period and recommend travelers arrive two to three hours before departure.
Incheon Airport reported a record 18.6 million passengers in the first quarter of this year, up 7.8% from a year ago, driven by growing demand for short-haul travel to China, Northeast Asia, and Japan. The number of flights also rose by 5.47% to 105,817 compared to the previous year.
