Incheon International Airport 9,316 Passengers on 24th... First Drop Below 10,000 Since Opening

Strengthened Entry Controls in 179 Countries... Airports Empty Amid Closed Air Routes
"The Decline May Worsen After the Rush of Overseas Koreans Returning Ends"

The departure hall of Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport was quiet on the 23rd due to the impact of COVID-19. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Je-hoon] The number of passengers at Incheon International Airport, the gateway to the Republic of Korea, fell below 10,000 on the 24th, marking the lowest level since its opening. This is a repercussion of the global closure of air routes due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The aviation industry is also expressing concerns that the decline in passenger numbers may worsen once the rush of overseas Koreans returning home comes to an end.

According to Incheon International Airport Corporation on the 25th, the number of passengers using Incheon Airport the previous day was provisionally counted at 9,316 (1,800 departures, 7,516 arrivals), a 95.4% decrease compared to the previous year. A total of 92 passenger flights (45 departures, 47 arrivals) and 136 cargo flights (70 departures, 66 arrivals) operated that day.

This is the first time that the number of passengers at Incheon Airport, which normally sees nearly 200,000 passengers daily, has fallen below 10,000. The previous lowest record before the COVID-19 crisis was 26,773 passengers on May 20, 2003, during the height of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak. This figure vividly illustrates what is being called "the worst crisis in domestic aviation history."

With passenger numbers dropping below 10,000, Incheon Airport’s passenger volume is now being surpassed by Gimpo and Jeju International Airports, which still maintain domestic flights. Although international routes at Gimpo and Jeju airports have also been largely suspended due to COVID-19, they continue to handle 20,000 to 30,000 passengers daily, mainly on domestic routes.

The sharp decline in passenger numbers is due to entry restrictions imposed by various countries in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as of 6 p.m. the previous day, a total of 179 countries had implemented entry bans, quarantine measures, or strengthened inspections for passengers arriving from Korea. As countries tighten entry controls, both domestic and foreign airlines have suspended route operations, creating a chain reaction that leads to a decrease in airport users.

Inside and outside the aviation industry, there are concerns that passenger demand may further decline once the return of overseas residents is completed. Incheon International Airport Corporation forecasts that the number of passengers using Incheon Airport on this day will be only 10,796. A representative from a domestic airline stated, "Currently, the number of passengers is barely maintaining around 10,000 thanks to the increasing number of returning overseas Koreans," adding, "Once the rush of returnees ends, the number of airport users may decrease even further."

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