Incheon International Airport Sees Cumulative Number of Passengers Surpass 800 Million

President Lee Hak-jae of Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) poses with the 800 millionth passenger after presenting a golden key to her at a ceremony to celebrate Incheon International Airport’s feat of surpassing 800 million passengers on a cumulative basis in Oct. 4.

Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC), which overcame the crisis caused by the COVID pandemic, is now building a foundation to make the nation the world’s No. 1 aviation power.

Aviation sources said on Oct. 26 Incheon International Airport handled 15.42 million international flight passengers in the third quarter of this year, returning to 86 percent of pre-COVID pandemic levels.

It was the first time in three years, since the fourth quarter of 2019, when the number of passengers handed by the airport topped 15 million.

The number of passengers handled by the airport is on the constant rise.

Incheon International Airport saw passengers return to 64.3 percent of pre-COVID pandemic levels in the first quarter of the year and 74.2 percent in the second quarter.

The number of passengers handed by the airport stood at 39,820,200 in the first nine months of the year, returning to 74.9 percent of the pre-pandemic levels.

By month, the number of passengers handled by the airport stood at 5.2 million in July 2023. It was the first time in 42 months that the figure topped 5 million. Incheon International Airport saw passengers in June 2023 return to 76.7 percent of levels of June 2019 and surged to 84.2 percent in July.

IIAC President Lee Hak-jae took office in late June. The number of passengers in won handled by Incheon International Airport surpassed 800 million on a cumulative basis in October, which was 22 years and seven months since the opening of the airport.

The cumulative figure symbolizes the airport’s overcoming the crisis, caused by the pandemic and normalization.

President Lee has been credited with solidifying its standing in Korea and abroad since taking office, as the airport won the top grade and in Korean and overseas evaluations.

In September, IIAC became Korea’s first airport to be awarded with the Level 4 Airport Carbon Accreditation by Airports Council International (ACI).

The highest accreditation recognizes IIAC for putting into practice “carbon neutrality” by optimizing the management of carbon emittance: offsetting carbon.

IIAC has succeeded in retaining the world’s best airport title for the second straight year.

IIAC President Lee Hak-jae and Secretary General Luis Felipe de Oliveira of the Airports Council pose along with IIAC officials after IIAC President Lee received a plaque on ACI’s Airport Customer Experience Accreditation at an awards ceremony at ACI’s summit at Paradise City in Incheon on Sept. 6. (Photos: IIAC)

The corporation was awarded with Level Five, the highest level of the Airports Council International’s (ACI) Airport Customer Experience (CX) Accreditation program for the second straight year, the world’s first such accomplishment.

At a news conference at ACI’s summit on September, IIAC President Lee said, “We will strive to make Incheon International an airport people want to visit and by meeting diverse art and cultural needs, not only by simple transportation services, Incheon Airport will be an airport non-flight visitors whish for coming.”

IIAC is looking to complete Phase IV of Incheon International Airport’s construction project in the second half of next year.

The fourth phase project calls for expanding the second passenger terminal and creating a fourth runway at a cost of 4.08 trillion won.

If and when the expansion project is completed, Incheon International Airport will see its annual passenger capacity surge from current 77 million to 106 million, ranking third in the world following Istanbul with a capacity of 150 million and Dubai with 118 million.

The current progress of the expansion project stands at 82.9 percent, and it is to be in a final stage of completion as planned.

President Lee Hak-jae of Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) gives a speech at a session to prepare for the successful completion and opening of the Phase IV expansion stage at IIAC headquarters on Oct. 16.

IIAC held a session to prepare for the successful completion and opening of the Phase IV expansion stage under the catchphrase “Upgrade Incheon International Airport” on Oct. 16.

President Lee said, “IIAC will offer full support to make Korea the world’s No. 1 aviation power by supplying the world’s top aviation services through the successful opening of the fourth phase of expansion and based on infrastructure capable of handling 100 million passengers annually.”