Only Korea Is Left Out: “I’d Pay Just to Get Out Faster,” but Plans Stall Over Public Backlash [Incheon Airport’s “World No. 1” Exposed] ②

Airport Modernization Stalled by Political Calculations
Paid Fast-Track Left on Hold Citing “Public Sentiment”
Leadership Vacuum After President Lee Hakjae’s Resignation
Experts: “The Airport Must Persuade Politicians and Civil Society”

Paid fast-track lanes for departures have become the global standard at major airports, both to reduce congestion and to provide differentiated services. However, among the world’s top 30 airports by passenger traffic, Incheon International Airport is the only one that has not introduced a paid fast-track system. Critics say that, as politicians block the move in the name of so-called “public sentiment,” efforts to modernize the airport and improve congestion-management systems are falling behind.

On the 11th, ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, passengers are lining up at the departure hall of Terminal 2 at Incheon International Airport to check in. Yonhap News

According to industry sources on the 26th, Incheon International Airport has continuously pushed to introduce a paid fast-track service, but has been unable to clear the hurdles posed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the political establishment. Korea Airports Corporation also agrees on the need for such a system, but negotiations with the government have in effect been stalled since last year.

A fast-track lane is a system that allows passengers to go through security screening and immigration checks first via a dedicated gate. At present, Incheon International Airport offers fast-track access only to passengers with reduced mobility and households with multiple children. The airport’s goal is to allow anyone to use this system by paying a fee, thereby dispersing congestion.

At a press briefing with reporters late last year, former Incheon International Airport President Lee Hakjae said, “Incheon International Airport is the world’s best airport, and its service in particular can be said to be top-class, but the fact that it is the only one that does not operate a paid fast-track service lowers its quality,” adding, “We keep talking to the government and politicians, but it is not going well. This is something I really want to accomplish during my term.” However, with Lee holding a retirement ceremony today and officially stepping down as president, Incheon International Airport, which urgently needs modernization measures such as a fast-track system, is now also facing a leadership vacuum.

The official reason politicians are reluctant is the concern that it would “create a sense of inequality.” The recent string of controversies over excessive security details and preferential treatment for celebrities at airports has further worsened public opinion and added to the political burden. As the idea that “if you pay, you can get out faster” is seen as incompatible with airports, which are viewed as public goods, the policy has effectively lost momentum.

While Incheon International Airport’s modernization is being delayed by the government and politicians’ sensitivity to public opinion, some airports are rapidly introducing fully automated immigration systems to manage passengers more efficiently. Singapore’s Changi Airport has automated everything from check-in and baggage drop to immigration clearance and boarding through its FAST (Fast and Seamless Travel) system. Singaporean citizens and residents do not even need to take out their passports, as they can complete procedures quickly using facial and iris recognition. Foreign nationals also only need to register their information once upon first entry; for departure and subsequent visits, they do not need to present their passports.

Experts unanimously argue that fast-track services should be viewed not as simple preferential treatment but from the perspective of “demand management.” Kim Gyuwang, a professor in the Department of Aeronautical Science and Flight Operations at Hanseo University, said, “Paid fast-track services are not a privilege; they should be used as a tool to disperse demand in order to manage congestion,” adding, “If a certain proportion of passengers are diverted to fast-track lanes, it will help reduce the overall waiting time during peak congestion hours.”

However, they advise that social consensus should come before any indiscriminate move toward paid services. Professor Kim said, “Rather than full-scale commercialization, a limited and conditional introduction based on protecting passengers with reduced mobility and maintaining public interest would be desirable,” stressing, “It must be made clear that the goal is to ease congestion, not to generate profit.” A former senior official at Incheon International Airport Corporation added, “The airport authority needs to take a flexible and strategic approach to persuade politicians and civil society, for example by announcing plans to reinvest any revenue generated from fast-track services into upgrading immigration systems.”