[On-Site] Jeju Airport's Priority Seats for the Transportation-Vulnerable Rendered Useless

Foreign Tourists and General Passengers Take Over Priority Seats...

Transportation-Vulnerable Passengers Feel Hesitant Instead

Effective Solutions Needed, Including Integration of IT Technology

On the morning of the 10th, the 'Priority Seat' for transportation-vulnerable individuals, located in the passenger terminal waiting area of Jeju International Airport, which is designated for pregnant women, disabled persons, and the elderly as indicated by large signage, was disorderly occupied by general passengers and foreign tourists who appeared to be non-target users, taking up nearly half of the seats. Photo by Park Changwon

Due to a large number of flight cancellations caused by adverse weather conditions the previous day, Jeju International Airport's priority seating area for transportation-vulnerable passengers was overwhelmed on April 10 by indiscriminate occupation from general passengers and foreign tourists. As a result, the seats are failing to serve their intended purpose, raising urgent calls for effective measures—such as the integration of IT technology—to ensure that those genuinely in need are not disadvantaged.

On the morning of April 10, the priority seat area for transportation-vulnerable passengers at the passenger terminal waiting room of Jeju International Airport, marked with large signs indicating seats reserved for pregnant women, disabled people, and the elderly, was ironically occupied in a disorderly manner by general passengers and foreign tourists who appeared not to belong to these groups, taking up about half of the seats.

Spaces meant for the elderly and others with mobility issues who genuinely require priority seating were being preemptively taken by so-called “inconsiderate users.” In some cases, these seats had even been reduced to storage areas for passengers’ suitcases and personal belongings.

The most pressing problem is that "hidden transportation-vulnerable" individuals—such as women in early pregnancy, people with internal organ diseases, or patients who have undergone artificial joint surgery, whose conditions are not outwardly apparent—are being thoroughly neglected and left out of consideration.

Even though they are fully entitled to use these seats, it is common for eligible individuals to hesitate and be unable to secure a seat in front of the fully occupied priority area because of the social pressure of asking others to yield.

A passenger in his seventies, identified as Mr. A and interviewed on-site, shared: "I have joint problems and was looking for a place to rest, but young tourists and foreigners placed their luggage on the seats and were absorbed in their smartphones, so I couldn't even bring myself to ask them to move. I was left standing and frustrated."

The core reason for such indiscriminate occupation is the lack of enforceability in the current system.

Although Article 9 of the "Act on Promotion of Transportation Convenience for Mobility Disadvantaged Persons" mandates the installation of priority seating in passenger facilities, there are no legal penalties or fines to prevent general passengers from using these seats. As a result, the system relies entirely on the voluntary goodwill of citizens.

Experts point out that, given Jeju Airport’s unique status as a hub for multinational tourists, it is unrealistic to rely solely on signage and public awareness. They emphasize that "systematic improvements beyond awareness campaigns are essential." Consequently, there have been suggestions to adopt IT-based solutions, such as Seoul Metro’s ID scan verification system or “smart priority seats” linked to smartphone Bluetooth, to prevent indiscriminate use and to protect genuinely transportation-vulnerable passengers. This has led to growing calls for the airport to implement institutional measures at its own level.

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