Incheon Int`l Airport opens new aviation era

Passengers using Incheon International Airport, which opened Thursday, are advised to have a full knowledge of immigration procedures and how to use the airport. Airport authorities warn that the passengers or visitors may lose their way in the passenger terminal of an exorbitantly big size, about 60 times a soccer pitch. They also recommend that travelers leave the home or office for the airport about one hour earlier than they did during the days of Kimpo International Airport in preparation for possible traffic congestion, noting there is only one road to the airport. The new airport is for exclusive use by international flights, although there a few domestic flights bound for Cheju and Pusan. So, domestic flights passengers are advised to use Kimpo airport.

Departure:

Those who leave the country have to undergo exit procedures on the third floor of the passenger terminal and go down to the second floor for boarding. There are 14 entrances on the third floor, starting with No. 1 from the east of the terminal. Since the check-in counters of the national flag carriers, Korean Air Lines and Asiana Airlines, are located at the east of the terminal, travelers are recommended to get down the car in front of No 1-7 doors and proceed to the counters of the airliners they will use, get their boarding pass and send luggage.

Then, they have to buy airport use ticket (25,000 won for Koreans and 15,000 won for foreigners) at the foreign exchange booths or ticket kiosks. Different from the structure of Kimpo airport, a 10-meter walk after finishing the boarding process on the same floor will bring passengers to the gates leading directly to the bonded area. After the security check, customs report and departure review by Ministry of Justice officials, passengers will enter the bonded area where duty free shops are located. The passengers have to confirm their gates of the total 44, move to the departure lounge, show their boarding passes, go down to the second floor through boarding bridge and then board.

Entry:

Entry process is carried out on the second floor of the passenger terminal. Those who finish entry procedures shall recover their luggage on the floor. For the entry review, the passengers are required to submit entry form they filled in the cabin and their passports. Those who have nothing to declare shall proceed to the green counter, which those who have something to the red counter. Luggage stands are lined from the left from No. 1 to No. 23, and big luggage are recovered at the stand between No. 17 and No. 18.

Restaurants:

There are a total of 176 various shops and restaurants on the total space of 8,200 pyong (one pyong is equivalent to 3.3 square meters). Various kinds of souvenirs, tourist`s items, garments and others are available. About 40 restaurants of Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Western foods and fast food shops are located on each floor.

Convenience facilities:

On the second floor of the Great Hall of the passenger terminal are two business centers and an information-communication center. The business centers facing the other across the Great Hall has four independent conference rooms for four to 15 people, equipped with audio and video devices to help proceed meetings efficiently. Not only interpretation, translation and secretarial services, but all kinds of business services such as reservations of hotels, air tickets and rental cars are offered in the centers. The information-communication center is equipped with computers and fax machines. Featuring in the bonded area on the fourth floor of the passenger terminal is a mini transit hotel with 90 rooms for the transit travelers departing for other countries like China. The hotel charges range from 40,000 won to 70,000 won for six hours` use, depending on the class. The airport authorities provide the disabled passengers and busy transit passengers with indoor electric cars.

Park Joung-Gu jangkung@donga.com