Dozens of Chinese passengers cut in line together at the departure hall of Incheon International Airport. They crouched down and shoved their rolling suitcases forward, then rushed under the barrier lines the airport had set up for queuing and charged toward the check-in counters.
According to Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) and others on the 19th, video of the scene, filmed on the 3rd floor departure hall of Terminal 1 on the 2nd, spread on social media (SNS). Similar situations reportedly occurred several times this month.
Airport officials believe that when crowds formed, Chinese shuttle traders and others tried to get processed before other passengers and, as soon as the check-in counters opened, rushed in instead of lining up. In the process, some employees were injured after being jostled by the crowd.
A surge in passenger demand at specific times is cited as the cause. Recently, aircraft on major Incheon–China routes were changed from the Airbus A320 to the A350, increasing available seats by about 100. As a result, passenger numbers grew and the competition to line up intensified.
The airport is reportedly considering installing plastic partitions between the stanchions that form queues as a way to prevent "group line-cutting."