Incheon Airport arrival hall turns chaotic as BTS fans from overseas arrive for the comeback event

As international BTS fans prepare to arrive for the March 21 concert in Seoul, Incheon Airport’s arrival hall is facing severe overcrowding, resembling a bustling market. Long queues and delays in immigration are raising concerns about the first impressions visitors receive, with travelers reporting waits of 1–2 hours and chaotic conditions, particularly at Terminal 2.

Staff shortages at the Ministry of Justice’s Incheon Immigration Office are a major factor, leaving only a few counters open for foreign passengers during peak hours. Despite efforts to deploy airport personnel and volunteers, congestion continues, highlighting challenges in managing the influx of international visitors.

Foreign traveler 'A' arrived at Incheon Airport Terminal 2 on February 8 at around 7:20 PM via Korean Air from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. They reported that the arrival hall was overcrowded, resembling a busy market, with seemingly endless queues. It took them over two hours to complete immigration and customs and collect their luggage, causing them to miss a pre-booked bus. When they called customer service to complain, they were told that the weekend crowds were the cause. “The airport authorities are extremely irresponsible,” he expressed in frustration.

Another foreign traveler, 'B,' arrived on the evening of February 27 around 8:20 PM and managed to exit the arrival hall in 1 hour and 20 minutes. B said the immigration process alone took over an hour, describing chaotic scenes with hundreds of people pushing and shouting in line. They added that no staff members were directing or managing the crowd, making them feel as if they could be crushed.

Complaints on social media and direct feedback to airlines highlight long waits at Incheon Airport’s arrival hall, often taking 1–2 hours, drawing criticism of the airport.

The situation has worsened since Asiana Airlines moved from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 on January 14, with congestion spreading from parking lots and departure areas to the arrivals hall.

Monitoring by the Incheon International Airport Corporation shows that during the Lunar New Year holiday in February, foreign arrivals required an average of 1 hour 54 minutes for immigration—roughly double the one-hour wait during last year’s Chuseok holiday before Asiana’s move.

Prolonged immigration processing has led to frequent instances where luggage remains on the carousel without its owner, creating further confusion in the baggage claim area.

An airline staff member explained, “Since Asiana Airlines moved to Terminal 2, delays in foreign immigration have caused baggage to overflow the first-floor belts. There is no suitable space to place luggage, causing items to get tangled and creating significant confusion for passengers trying to retrieve their bags.”

Peak hours at Terminal 2, particularly between 5 PM and 7 PM, see long queues from immigration counters to quarantine checkpoints, exacerbating congestion.

While Korean citizens use automated immigration for faster processing, foreign nationals must undergo manual face-to-face inspections by the Ministry of Justice’s Incheon Immigration Office, including in-depth interviews to detect illegal entries.

The overcrowding is attributed to a shortage of immigration officers. Even during peak flight arrivals, only 3–4 counters are open for foreign passengers. Although 26 staffed counters exist on both the east and west sides of Terminal 2, utilization rates are only 30–50%. For example, on February 10, between 5 PM and 7 PM, only 42% of 52 counters were in use.

While 22 immigration officers were on duty at the staffed counters, only 10 were assigned to foreign immigration; the remainder handled domestic passengers under 7 years old or automated services.

The Ministry of Justice requested an additional 276 officers from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, but only six were approved.

A ministry official acknowledged the problem: “Passenger numbers keep increasing, but staffing has not. We are aware of the congestion and are implementing early opening and flexible operation of counters, among other measures, to ease the situation.”

Immigration is often the first impression visitors have of a country. On March 21, BTS fans from around the world will arrive at Incheon Airport to attend a concert in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun. However, long waits in crowded arrival halls could create a negative impression even before the event begins.

President Lee Jae Myung previously set a goal of welcoming 30 million foreign arrivals annually by 2029, but critics warn that without improvements to the arrival process, Incheon Airport may continue to leave visitors with a frustrating experience.

The International Civil Aviation Organization recommends that the immigration process from plane arrival to exiting the airport take no more than 45 minutes. Incheon Airport, known for its world-class service, aims for a 40-minute process.

An Incheon Airport Corporation official stated on February 18, “Although the arrival hall is experiencing severe congestion, we are working to ease it by distributing aircraft parking, deploying staff and volunteers, and improving facilities.”