Check-in chaos hits 13 airlines at South Korea's Incheon Airport

Incheon International Airport experienced significant disruptions across multiple airlines on Tuesday as check-in operations became severely congested, with long queues forming at ticket counters throughout the terminal.

Thirteen airlines operating from the airport were affected by the disruption, which created bottlenecks during peak travel hours. Passengers reported extended waiting times as staff struggled to process the high volume of check-ins, leading to concerns about missed flights and further cascading delays.

The incident highlighted ongoing capacity challenges at one of Asia's busiest aviation hubs. Airport authorities did not immediately clarify the root cause of the disruption, whether stemming from staffing shortages, system issues, or unexpected passenger surges.

Incheon International Airport, which serves the Seoul metropolitan area, processes millions of passengers annually and is a key transit hub for regional and international travel. The disruption underscores the operational pressures facing major Asian airports as travel demand continues to rebound post-pandemic.

The airport has not yet announced measures to prevent similar disruptions or provided estimates of how many passengers were affected by the check-in delays.