Incheon Airport announced that it would open its departure halls an hour earlier and triple the number of security screening personnel during the May holiday period. This measure was introduced after a surge in passengers during the Lunar New Year holiday period led to significant inconvenience, with queues reaching tens of meters.

On the 16th, Incheon Airport announced "Measures to Alleviate Holiday Congestion," stating that "an average of 211,000 people will use the airport daily during the holiday period from April 30th to May 6th."

Considering that queues primarily extend long before 9 AM, Incheon Airport announced that it would open its departure halls an hour earlier, at 5 AM, from May 1st to 3rd. An Incheon Airport official stated, "Congestion occurs in the departure halls, so we increased the operating hours for the 1st to 3rd, when departing passengers gather." Incheon Airport predicted that Saturday, May 3rd, would be the busiest day, with 218,000 people expected.

For security checkpoints, which were identified as a factor contributing to longer queues, 56 personnel will be deployed, three times the usual number (17 people). Incheon Airport is in the process of replacing its security screening equipment with new models (CTX-ray system), but during the Lunar New Year holiday, the new equipment stopped or malfunctioned, leading to further delays.

Furthermore, the number of self-bag drop machines, which support quick procedures, will be increased from 138 to 144, and 26 personnel will be assigned to guide users on how to use the machines, an increase from the existing 17. To alleviate parking difficulties, shoulders, performance venues, and heliports will be used as temporary parking lots, increasing the number of parking spaces by 6,331. The airport stated, "During the busy May holiday period, arriving 2-3 hours in advance, as usual, should be sufficient."

Meanwhile, Incheon Airport announced on this day that its passenger traffic in the first quarter recorded 18,606,590 people, a 7.8% increase compared to the same period last year. This is the highest quarterly figure ever. By region, China (24.1%), Northeast Asia (16.1%), and Japan (10.4%) led the growth trend. Flight operations also recorded 105,817 times, a 5.47% increase year-on-year. Incheon Airport stated, "The preference for short-haul travel is increasing due to factors such as rising exchange rates and fuel costs," adding, "In the case of China, there is also an aspect bolstered by the temporary visa exemption measure that began last November."

These are English translations of articles from our GTTOUR Japanese website.