Undergoing Security Check with Pets Inside... Checking Luggage Directly at the Hotel for Flights

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] From now on, pet owners will be able to undergo airport security screening while holding their pets. The service of checking in luggage directly from city hotels will also be expanded.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 10th that it has established and will implement the "2020 Aviation Security Implementation Plan," which includes these measures to strengthen aviation security and minimize passenger inconvenience.

Under this plan, starting this month, passengers accompanied by pets will be able to undergo security screening while holding their pets. Currently, pets are separated from passengers and undergo separate tactile or explosive residue detection screening. During this process, pets often react sensitively, sometimes resulting in security personnel being bitten, prompting this improvement.

From September, the "Hotel Checked Baggage Drop-off Service" (Easy Drop), which allows passengers to check in luggage at city hotels and retrieve it at the destination airport, will be expanded to more areas. Based on the evaluation of a pilot operation conducted from March to May last year at hotels in Mapo-gu, Seoul, which showed no security issues and high passenger satisfaction, the service will be extended to major hotels in Seoul. Plans are also underway to secure hubs at the metropolitan city level.

The ministry will also actively respond to terrorism threats. It plans to install illegal drone response systems at Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport and expand behavior detection coverage for preemptive responses to suspicious passengers from security screening areas to general areas. To block new terrorist methods such as biochemical agents, plans will be made to introduce advanced security equipment capable of inspecting laptops and liquids inside bags.

Kim Itak, Director of Aviation Policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "We will continuously pursue policies to strengthen aviation security, including securing expertise among aviation personnel and enhancing international cooperation, and actively resolve passenger inconveniences such as simplifying security procedures."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.