Incheon International Airport

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Incheon International Airport
인천국제공항
仁川國際空港
Incheon Gukje Gonghang
Inch'ŏn Kukche Konghang


Incheon International Airport Passenger Terminal
IATA: ICN – ICAO: RKSI
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner Government of South Korea
Operator Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC)
Serves Seoul National Capital Area
Location Incheon, South Korea
Elevation AMSL 23 ft / 7 m
Coordinates 37°27′48″N 126°26′24″E / 37.46333, 126.44
Website http://www.airport.kr/eng/airport/
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
15R/33L 12,303 3,750 Asphalt
15L/33R 12,303 3,750 Asphalt
Helipads
Number Length Surface
ft m
H1 63 19 Concrete
Statistics (2007)
Aircraft movements 211,404
Passengers 31,227,897
Tonnes of cargo 2,555,580
Statistics from IIAC[1]
Incheon Airport - Entrance
Incheon Airport - Entrance
Incheon Airport - Departures
Incheon Airport - Departures

Incheon International Airport (IIA) (IATA: ICN, ICAO: RKSI) (Korean: 인천국제공항) is the largest airport in South Korea, and one of the largest and busiest in Asia. Rated as the best airport in the world[2], it received the full 5-star ranking by Skytrax, the prestigious recognition shared only by Hong Kong International Airport and Singapore Changi Airport.

Located 30 minutes away from Seoul, the capital and largest city of South Korea, Incheon International Airport is the main hub for Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and Polar Air Cargo. Additionally, the start up Korean subsidiary of Tiger Airways is seeking to base itself at Incheon International Airport.

The airport opened for business in early 2001, replacing the international function of the old Gimpo Airport (formerly Kimpo International Airport). Gimpo International Airport now serves only domestic destinations, except shuttle flights to Tokyo International Airport (Haneda), Japan and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, China.

The airport serves as a hub for international civilian air transportation and cargo traffic in East Asia. Security facilities are state-of-the-art and medical inspection equipment is also very advanced, in response to terrorist threats and various epidemics in southern Asia. As a result, Incheon International Airport is considered Asia's most technologically facilitated airport.

Incheon International Airport is also currently Asia's sixth busiest airport in terms of passengers, the world's fourth busiest airport in terms of cargo and freight, and the world's eleventh busiest airport in terms of international passengers. [3]

Contents

[edit] Overview

Incheon International Airport is located west of Incheon, on Yeongjong-Yongyu Island on the West Coast. In the past, there were two separate islands of Yeongjong and Yongyu but the distance between them that were once covered by the sea got filled to form one island from two. Both of these islands were part of the city of Incheon.

It is connected to the mainland by Incheon International Airport Expressway (Expressway 130), a part of which is Yeongjong Bridge. The expressway also connects Gimpo Airport and provide connections between domestic flight service with international air traffic, an advantage that makes it far easier to travel from southern Korean regions to Incheon, and then to airports all over the globe. The airport is served by frequent bus service from all parts of South Korea as well as by traditional ferry service between Yeongjong pier and Incheon. Airport limousines operate around the clock from Seoul to Incheon, and several backup highway buses escort people from places within and outside Seoul.

The Incheon International Airport Railroad link to Gimpo International Airport (and Seoul Subway Line 5) opened on March 23, 2007,[4] with a further extension to Seoul Station due for completion by January 2010.

The airport was awarded the "Best in Service Award in Class" at the 1st International Conference on Airport Quality and Service by the IATA and the ACI, and ranked second in "Best Airport Worldwide", behind Hong Kong International Airport, and ahead of Singapore Changi Airport. It was also ranked No. 1 in the world by the Airports Council International.[5]

[edit] History

After the Seoul Olympics of 1988, international air traffic to Korea was increasing at a tremendous rate. Especially as time progressed into the 90's, it became apparent that Gimpo International Airport could not keep up with the increase in air traffic. As such, in order to reduce load on Gimpo International Airport, and establish a new airport which could become the center of air traffic in the region, construction of the airport began in November 1992. The airport was constructed on a reclaimed land between Yeongjong Island and Youngyu Island. It took eight years to construct the airport, and an additional six months to test operate. The airport was officially opened in March 2001. The airport was designed to be constructed in multiple stages, more commonly known as phases. Currently, the airport is in the first phase, with the second phase construction progressing.

When the airport was first opened, there were numerous problems that broke out, most of them having to do with the baggage handling systems. In fact, the problem was first discovered during the test phase, but was never worked out in time. As a result, for a month after the airport opened, the system had to be operated on a semi-automatic mode. Nevertheless, most of the problems were worked out within a month, and the airport continued to operate normally, exceeding all expectations.

After September 11 of 2001 when the airplane attacks occurred, the airport’s security system was upgraded to state of the art systems, and medical inspection equipments were also upgraded in response to the various epidemics occurring in neighboring countries. In addition, following the advice of ICAO on upgrading various facilities as well as independently pursuing airport enhancements have caused the airport to be recognized as the most technologically advanced airport in Asia.

Due to the positive response towards the airport, its air traffic increased tremendously. By early 2002, it became apparent that the airport would be saturated by 2006. As a result, in February 2002, the construction of the second phase was initiated. Originally, the construction were supposed to have ended by December 2008. However, due to the Beijing Olympics in 2008, the construction schedule was modified to allow the construction to end by July 2008.

On November 15, 2006, the Airbus A380 landed at the airport as part of the first leg of its certification trip. During the visit, the airport observed the operation of other air traffic especially during ground operations. In addition, the plane was docked into one of its boarding gates to ensure that the aircraft was fully compatible with the airport. The results were satisfactory, confirming that the airport would be fully Airbus A380 capable, from the runways to the taxiways, and up to every single boarding dock.

To further upgrade service, Incheon and major Korean logistics firm Hanjin Corporation (parent company of the Korean Flag Carrier, Korean Air) have signed a contract on 10 January 2008 to build a nine-story hospital near the airport. Once construction is complete in 2011, the Yeongjong Medical Center is expected to serve nearby residents and 30,000 domestic and international tourists who visit Korea every year to receive medical services.[6]

[edit] Timeline

  • February 1992: Master Plan Approved
  • November 1992: Phase I Construction and Site Preparation Initiated.
  • July 1994: North and South Dikes completed.
  • March 1996: Formally named Incheon International Airport.
  • May 1996: Passenger Terminal Construction Initiated.
  • December 1996: Runway Construction Initiated.
  • June 30, 2000: Construction of basic components completed.
  • July 2000: Test Operations begins.
  • November 2000: Opening date announced.
  • March 29, 2001: Airport Officially Opened.
  • February 2002: Phase II Construction Started.
  • November 2002: New passenger airline parking stands constructed. (Phase 2)
  • October 2003: Construction of new Cargo terminal initiated. (Phase 2)
  • November 2003: Intra Airport Transit system construction initiated. (Phase 2)
  • December 2003: Third runway construction initiated. (Phase 2)
  • June 2004: Passenger Concorse Construction Initiated. (Phase 2)
  • September 2004: Navigational lights installed. (Phase 2)
  • January 2005: Power distribution grid constructed. (Phase 2)
  • April 2005: Final construction of passenger concourse. (Phase 2)
  • March 2007: Airport Railroad started operation.

[edit] Construction stages

New satellite building under construction.
New satellite building under construction.

The airport was originally planned to be built in three phases, incrementally increasing airport capacity as the demand grew. This was changed, however, to four phases sometime after the airport was opened.

[edit] Phase 1

This was the first stage the airport was in. It has a capacity of 30 million passengers per year, and a cargo capacity of 1.7 million metric tonnes yearly. In this phase, a passenger terminal with a floor space of 496,000 square meters, two parallel runways, a control tower, an administrative building, a transportation center (the Integrated Transportation Centre, designed by Terry Farrell & Partners), and integrated operations center, three cargo terminals, international business center, and a government office building were constructed.

[edit] Phase 2

Phase 2 construction began in 2002 and was originally expected to be completed in December 2008. However, in an attempt to have the airport ready for the 2008 Beijing Olympics which will start in August 2008, the schedule has been modified and the airport is now due to complete Phase 2 construction in July, 2008. During this construction phase, a third parallel 4,000 meter long runway, a 16.5 hectare concourse which will be connected to the main passenger building via two parallel 870m long underground passageways, and a 13 hectare cargo terminal area will be added. Upon completion, the airport is expected to have an annual capacity of 410,000 flights, 44,000,000 passengers, and a cargo processing capacity of nearly 4,500,000 metric tonnes. In addition, there will be numerous equipment upgrades during this phase, which includes the newer and better ASDE-X with MRI (Multi Radar Tracking) function, and the ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) system with the RIMCAS (Runway Incursion Monitoring and Conflict Alert System) function. Installing 4 additional sets of ASDE-X antennas are currently being planned to reduce blind spots brought by heavy rainfall and in preparation of the new runway.

[edit] Phase 3

The exact modifications are currently unknown, as Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) has announced that the Master Plan would be reviewed and modified upon completion of the Phase 2 expansion. Nevertheless, it is known that the airport will add 2 additional passenger concourses, and a south east passenger terminal, with the Intra Airport Transport (IAT) being extended to cover all passenger terminals and concourses.

[edit] Phase 4

Estimated to be complete in 2020 this is the final and the ultimate construction stage. Upon completion, the airport will have 2 passenger terminals, 4 satellite concourses, 128 gates, and 4 parallel runways. It will be able to handle 100 million passengers and 7 million metric tonnes of cargo annually, with further possible expansions. The airport is projected to be transformed into one of the top ten busiest in the world by 2020.

[edit] Passenger facilities

[edit] Main passenger terminal

Incheon Airport - Arrivals
Incheon Airport - Arrivals
Incheon Airport - Airside
Incheon Airport - Airside
Incheon Airport - Gate Area
Incheon Airport - Gate Area

The main passenger terminal is the largest in area in South Korea, and the fourth largest passenger terminal in the world[citation needed], after Beijing Capital International Airport's Terminal 3, Hong Kong International Airport's Terminal 1 and Suvarnabhumi Airport, measuring at 496,000 square meters. It is 1060 meters long, 149 meters wide, and 33 meters high. Its construction cost was 1.3816 trillion South Korean Won. It was built using the best technology available to Korea to create an efficient working place for the Airlines and the members of the Airport as well as providing convenient facilities to passengers to give a "warm and cozy feeling", especially to those traveling long trips. The terminal has 44 boarding ports (all of which can accommodate the new Airbus 380), 50 customs inspection ports, 2 biological quarantine counters, 6 stationary and 14 portable passenger quarantine counters, 120 arrival passport inspection counters, 8 arrival security ports, 28 departure security ports, 252 check in counters, and 120 departure passport inspection counters. When phase 2 construction is complete, the satellite boarding docks (concourses) will be connected to the main terminal using two parallel 870 meter long underground passageways equipped with IATs (Intra Airport Transit). Transit to the IBC (International Business Center) will be provided using the PMS (People Mover System).

  • Basement level 1: Basement level 1 is composed of various convenience facilities for passengers and employees. To be specific, there are cafeterias, pastry shops and bakeries, coffee shops, banks, restaurants, music stores, book stores, beauty salons, supermarkets, pharmacies, etc.
  • First floor (arrival floor): This floor is where passengers arrive after disembarking from their aircraft and passing through customs. There are various information counters detailing transportation, sightseeing, airport information, etc. There are also various gift stores, fast food restaurants, foreign money exchange centers, etc. Millennium Hall is located on this floor.
  • Second floor: This floor is partitioned into 2 areas, the Airside Area, and the Landside Area. On the Airside Area, there are the arrival hallways (hallways linking to the jet ways) which contains and leads to the quarantine stations, and entry ports. On the Landside Area, there is the Great hall at the center, where the post office, bank, business center, information systems, etc. are located. On this floor, there is also remote ports, bus lounges, and transfer facilities for those transferring flights. This floor directly connects to the Transportation Center via 5 transparent glass bridges.
  • Third floor (departure floor): As with the second floor, this floor is partitioned off into two partitions, the Airside Area and the Landside Area. At the Landside Area, there are many stores selling fashion wear, sporting goods, and various souvenirs. At the Airside Area, facilities relating to departure are located. This includes security check points, passport inspection counters, and the gates and the waiting areas. There is also Duty Free Shops, convenient stores, and a currency exchange center.
  • Fourth floor: High quality restaurants, souvenir stores, airport image gallery, and the event area is located on this floor. There are also various departure lounges on this floor including a VIP lounge. The CIP and Transit passenger Lounge located on the Airside Area is specially located to offer a special view of the airport and is equipped with showers, prayer room, and various other services.

[edit] Passenger Concourse A

This new satellite terminal building was officially opened on May 27th, 2008. This terminal currently handles international flights of Air China, Air France, China Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines. On June 10th, 2008, all non-Korean carriers will operate from this terminal. This facility is a separate remote concourse, and is linked to the Main Passenger Terminal by a two IATs (IntraAirport Transport) and connected to the IBC (International Business Center) by a PMS (People Mover System). The new remote concouse is 16.5 hectare in floor area, and features 3 floors including the basement. There are 32 boarding gates[7], all of which will be able to accommodate the Airbus A380. The remote concourse was designed to have own check-in counters and immigration facilities initially, however these features were removed. Entry and departure procedures are processed in the Main Passenger Terminal.

[edit] Baggage handling system

The baggage handling system at Incheon International Airport was initially designed to process 31,000 pieces of luggage per hour, increasing as the airport matured and further expansions were carried out. It utilizes a central computer controlled automatic tilt-tray system that automatically sorts baggage and routes them to their correct destinations by reading the barcode labels as the baggage travels through the system. By design, the average design processing times are 5 minutes for arrival, 15 minutes for departure, and 10 minutes for baggage transfer between planes. The system is completely automatic unless one of the bar codes cannot be read by the barcode reader. In that case, the baggage with the unreadable barcode tag is automatically routed to a facility where airport employees read the barcode manually and have the baggage routed to their correct destination manually. Upon opening of the airport, the system was found to have flaws with its automatic operation and the facility had to be operated on a semi-automatic basis. The flaws have since been corrected and removed. The system consists of a 20 km long conveyor belt. They are separated into standard cargo processing, and large cargo processing. Standard cargo is defined as having a height, width, length, and weight less than 700mm, 450mm, 900mm, and 50Kg respectively and large cargo is defined as having a height, width, length, and weight less than 700mm, 600mm, 1500mm, and 70Kg respectively. Large cargo are handled separately and are sent to different baggage claim counters. Therefore, it is required to check in at a separate entrance. Currently, the large cargo handling system is the only one in which fragile items can be safely loaded on to an airplane aside from carrying it on.

[edit] Cargo Terminal Complex

Korean Air planes awaiting departure.
Korean Air planes awaiting departure.
Korean Air flight taxiing out at Incheon Airport.
Korean Air flight taxiing out at Incheon Airport.

The Cargo Terminal Complex comprises three cargo terminals, five separate warehouses, 24 parking stands, and administration offices. Each cargo terminal is designed to provide each carrier with unique services, and a cargo warehouse (approximately 3,500 square meters). They are separated into three areas, import, passing and export. The logical manner in which the terminals were designed allow for a highly efficient operation. The cargo terminals also comes with an advanced computer system that helps track each cargo in real time. Using the systems, managers can view individual package information, tracking information, storage information, etc in real time. The terminals also feature various other high tech technologies.

The Cargo Terminal Complex was designed to be able to process 1.7 million tons of cargo per year. However, due to the increased demands, the operators of Cargo A Terminal and Cargo B Terminal has opted to expand their facilities onto the land that is available nearby. As a result, the total processing ability of the complex is currently rated at 2.7 million tons per year. The C Terminal, was not able to expand however, due to the lack of direct airside access. Once Phase II expansion is complete, the airport will have a processing ability of around 4.9 million metric tons per year. This is because the expansion which was originally designed to allow an expansion to 4.5 million tons per year would be adding on top of the current processing ability, which includes the expansions by Korean Air Cargo and Asiana Cargo which was conducted separately on a piece of land that did not conflict with the airport expansion plans.

The Cargo Terminal Complex is operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, nonstop. In addition, the automation systems had been upgraded. As a result, it is typical for the airport to output an extra 2 million tons per year processing capability than the original design.

[edit] A Terminal

This Cargo Terminal is operated by Korean Air Cargo. It is the largest cargo terminal by both size and capacity. It has a special ability to be able to process special types of cargo such as those requiring refrigeration, or those carrying live animals. This facility has been expanded once in March 2 of 2005 to allow a total processing capability of 1.35 million tons per year. The terminal has an area of 60,000 square meters.

[edit] B Terminal

This Cargo Terminal is operated by Asiana Cargo. Although its capacity was to be expanded to 800,000 tons per year, the diminished demand for cargo transportation on Asiana originating from a pilot strike in 2005 has caused the plans to be modified. Currently, the terminals are capable of processing 750,000 tons per year. The terminal has an area of 40,000 square meters.

[edit] C Terminal

This Cargo Terminal is operated by the Incheon International Airport Foreign Carrier Cargo Terminal Company. Its users include FedEX, UPS, DHL, as well as other airlines. Due to its location, it could not expand its facilities as with the other terminals without conflicting with the existing plans for airport expansion. As a result, the IIAC is currently constructing a new terminal that would by operated by the IIAC Foreign Carrier Cargo Terminal Co. Once this new terminal is constructed, FedEx and UPS is expected to move into the new terminal while other cargo operators are expected to use the existing terminal.

The terminal is 420 meters long, 120 meters wide, and 19.65 meters tall. Its first floor (warehouse) has a total area of 54,203.32 square meters, and other floors occupy 12,708.88 square meters. Its current total processing capability is 600,000 metrics tons per year. 51 different cargo companies use this complex. This cargo terminal also has an administrative building nearby which houses a snack store, three restaurants, recreation facility, administrative offices, and stationary stores as well as various other facilities. The building is 63m X 36m X 21.55m in dimensions and has a total of 6 floors; one basement, four regular floors, and one roof top floor. Its total area is 8,619.23 square meters and houses 120 different companies and government agencies.

[edit] Operation facilities and infrastructures

[edit] Control tower

Incheon Airport - Traffic Centre
Incheon Airport - Traffic Centre

Located at the center of the airport, the 22 story Control Tower is 100.4 meters tall and is illuminated 24 hours a day. On its highest floor is located a parabolic antenna that is used by the Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE) to detect all airplanes and obstacles within 5 km of the tower. The upper floors are used by ground and tower controllers while the lower floors are mostly for support operations. The control tower has a total area of 179 square meters making it the 3rd largest in the world as of 2001.

Orient Thai Airlines at Incheon
Orient Thai Airlines at Incheon

[edit] Runways

At Incheon International Airport, there are two parallel paved asphalt runways in operation, 15R/33L and 15L/33R. Each runway is 3,750 meters long, 60 meters wide, and 1.05 meters thick. Currently, runway 15R/33L is used mostly for departures while runway 15L/33R is used mostly for arrivals. This is especially evident from the amount of rubber present on each runway; runway 15L/33R has more rubber on it due to the constant landings. A third parallel runway 4,000 meters long is currently under construction as part of phase II construction. It is expected to be completed by July 2008. Once this runway opens, landing and takeoffs of most passenger flights will be done on the new runway and the existing runway 15R/33L while runway 15L/33R will be done mostly for cargo flights due to its proximity with the cargo terminals. Once Phase 4 construction is complete, the airport will have 4 parallel runways, two of them 3,750 meters long and the other two 4,000 meters long. Currently, all runways are equipped with ILS CAT IIIb at both sides allowing for operation in visibility conditions as low as 50 meters. As of the date of upgrade, Incheon International Airport was the only airport in Asia to have full ILS CAT IIIb capability. The runway lightings at Incheon International Airport (as well as the taxi lights) are tied into special computers at the control tower. As a result, the Air Traffic Controllers can easily provide progressive taxiing to an aircraft by setting the computer to manipulate the taxi and runway lights so that it will lead them to their designated gate or parking stand.

[edit] Navigation and communication facilities

  • Instrument Landing System: The airport was originally certified for ILS CAT-IIIa operation, but it was upgraded to CAT-IIIb in December 2003 following the recommendation of ICAO in order to reduce flight diversions and cancellations during low visibility conditions. As a result, Incheon International Airport is currently the only airport in Asia to have ILS Cat-IIIb, allowing for operation in visibility conditions as low as 50 meters. Unlike some airports where different runways may have different categories of Instrumental Landing Systems, all runways at Incheon International Airport are equipped with the CAT-IIIb ILS.
  • Airport Surveillance Radar(ASR/MSSR): Three different radar sites are used for detecting airplanes near Incheon International Airport. They are located at Wangsan, Shinbuldo, and Gimpo International airport. Each facility has both ASR (Airport Surveillance Radar) and SSR (Secondary Serveillance Radar). Information from all three radar sites are multi-tracked (MRT) using the ARTS and displayed to the controller.
  • Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE): Also known as Ground Radar, it scans the ground within 5 km of the control tower. The antenna is located 100.4 meters above ground level on the top floor of the control tower. It is a facility that is required for CAT-III operation of the airport, and uses sophisticated algorithms to automatically assign flight numbers and other information to aircraft within range. It also detects maintenance vehicles as well as various obstacles that my interfere with the operation of aircraft. During the phase II construction of the airport, the ASDE which operates on the Ku-band will be replaced with the ASDE-X to ensure a perfect ground system for CAT-IIIb operation.
  • Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS): This system is tied into the ALS (Airport Lighting System) and was designed to work together. It provides surface movement surveillance, surface movement guidance, and route planning. Its most important feature is its ability to relay taxiing instructions to the pilot. By changing the blinking sequence or the intensity of taxi lights, it can safely guide pilots to their gates or the runway. Because it is computer controlled, it significantly reduces the workload of ground traffic controllers as well as provide an efficient and safe traffic flow.
  • PDC/D-ATIS: Incheon International Airport is equipped with a PDC (Pre Departure Clearance) system and a D-ATIS (Digital Airport Terminal Information System). The PDC system allows specially equipped airplanes to receive IFR clearances without the need to contact the Air Traffic Controllers. It is simply stored in a system that can be accessed by the pilots using specialized devices. the D-ATIS automatically generates ATIS information and also provides the ability to send the same information to the pilots using digital texts. These two devices were installed to reduce work load on the air traffic controllers as well as reduce the chances of misunderstandings.
  • Communications Navigation Surveillance (CNS/ATM): A high tech satellite is used to provide digital communication, navigation, and surveillance information. The communication and navigation system is available for use to pilots on aircraft that have specially equipped devices. This satellite is also used by the Air Traffic Controllers for Air Traffic Management (ATM) purposes.

[edit] Meteorological facilities

The Meteorological System at Incheon International Airport consists of an Automatic Weather Observation System (AWOS), Low level Wind shear Alert System (LWAS), Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR), Long Range Doppler Radar, Weather Station Headquarter, and a Weather Balloon Launching facility.

  • Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS): This system observes basic weather conditions and has instruments for detecting wind direction, wind speed, and visibility as well as other instruments such as the ceilometers. Information obtained through this system is directly used by the air traffic controller.
  • Low level Wind shear Alert System (LWAS): This system is capable of detecting and/or predicting wind shears occurring at low altitudes. It can also predict wind conditions and storm developments at low altitudes in the immediate area.
  • Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR): This Doppler weather radar is used for directly providing visual information to the air traffic controllers in the control tower. It was designed to sense wind strength, wind speed, precipitation rate, precipitation type, lightning occurrence, lightning frequency, wind gusts, and wind gust strength within 90 kilometers of the airport.
  • Weather Station Headquarters: This is part of the Korea Meteorological Administration and is used to observe the weather in the area and predict future conditions. Information gathered from this facility is shared world wide and is used to aide aviation. Weather experts work 24 hours a day in this building.
  • Weather Balloon Launch Facility: This facility launches remote controlled sound wave weather balloons to continuously observe weather conditions around the airport and transmits the information directly to navigational personnel and the air traffic controller.
  • Long Range Doppler Weather Radar: Located at the Weather Station Headquarters, it operates 24 hours a day to observe weather conditions within 480 km of the airport and provide it to the weather experts at the Weather Station HQ, where the information is analyzed and recorded for use by air navigation personnel. The information is also used by the Korea Metrological Administration to provide weather prediction for civilians.

[edit] Emergency response

[edit] Airport Security Task Force

The Airport Security Task Force is in charge of patrolling the airport perimeter, passenger terminal, transportation center, auxiliary facilities and free economic zones. They are trained to deal with a wide variety of conditions and situations. As a response to on going terrorist threats and various epidemics in the region, they are equipped with the latest gears and specially trained to deal with situations involving terrorists or epidemic control. The security task force consists of police officers from the Cheongwon Police Department. Only the specially trained officers are allowed onto the task force and they are on duty 24 hours a day over three different shifts. The facilities related to the Airport Security Task Force are the Airport Security Force Headquarters (Guardhouse), Airport Security Force Branch Office, and the Weapons armory.

  • Airport Security Force Headquarters (Guardhouse): The Airport Security Force Headquarters provides the Airport Security Task Force with training, resting, and various recreation. It is also used for administration. The building has a wide variety of options for training, and even includes a swimming pool.
  • Airport Security Force Branch Office: The function of this building is very similar to the Airport Security Force Headquarters. One of the major difference is that it is located very close to the control tower, allowing for the deployment of forces anywhere on the airfield within 1 to 2 minutes under ideal conditions. This facility was built to enhance security and efficiency.
  • Armory: Located at an undisclosed confidential location, this heavily guarded facility contains automatic firearms and ammunitions as well as various other tactical gear for emergency situations.

[edit] Fire Department

This facility is responsible for all emergency situations relating to fire and search and rescue missions. The firefighters are specially trained for dealing with jet fires as well as conducting search and rescue missions on burning planes. They are also trained to be able to respond to natural disasters. There are two fire departments at Incheon International Airport. One is located near the north side of runway 15L/33R and the other is located at the south side of runway 15R/33L near the passenger terminal. Together, they are capable of responding to incidents on the runway usually within 2 minutes, 3 minutes max under ideal conditions.

  • Fire Station Headquarters: The Fire Station HQ is located near runway 15L/33R on the west side of the eastern administrative area. They are responsible for extinguishing fire and conducting search and rescue missions on the runways and airport facilities near the eastern administrative area. The Fire Station Headquarters is composed of vehicle, equipment maintenance/storage facilities, office buildings, convenience facilities and welfare facilities.
  • Fire Station Branch Office: Located about 500 meters south east of passenger terminal 1 and 650 meters south of runway 15R/33L, its functions are similar to that of the Fire Station Headquarters. The only differences are that this facility is in charge of conducting fire extinguishing, searching, and rescue missions occurring within the passenger terminal and facilities around it. It is also capable of responding to incidents on the runway.

[edit] Awards, certifications, and ratings

  • In 1998, Incheon international airport received ISO certifications in airport construction and airport services.
  • From 2002, Incheon International Airport won for three consecutive years, the Best Airport Award according to IATA and ACI.
  • In 2002, Incheon International Airport was rated second in the Best Airport Worldwide category according to IATA and ACI.
  • Incheon International Airport Corporation became the first in the world to receive ISO certification in airport services.
  • In 2005, Incheon International Airport won the Best Airport Worldwide 2005 award from AETRA Service Monitoring which was jointly conducted by IATA and ACI.
  • In 2006, Incheon International Airport received the ATRS' Top Asia-Pacific Efficiency Award after achieving a residual variable factor productivity efficiency value that was 57% higher than the average of those in the region.
  • In 2006, Incheon International Airport was awarded as the world's best airport based on a passenger survey conducted by the IATA.
  • Incheon International Airport was named Best Airport Worldwide at the first Airport Service Quality Awards [8]
  • Incheon International Airport received an ISO certification in the environmental category.
  • Incheon International Airport was awarded the "Best in Service Award in Class" at the 1st International Conference on Airport Quality and Service by the IATA and the ACI.
  • Incheon International Airport ranked second in "Best Airport Worldwide", behind Hong Kong International Airport, and tied with Singapore Changi Airport.
  • Incheon International Airport won the GT Tested Award for Best Airport in the World in January 2007. [9]
  • Incheon International Airport named by Global Traveler (GT) as the Best Airport in the World for the second straight year in January 2008.[10]

[edit] Air traffic control communication frequencies

ATIS 128.2 MHz, 128.4 MHz, 230.25 MHz
Clearance Delivery 121.0 MHz, 121.625 MHz, 269.2 MHz
Ramp 121.65 MHz, 121.875 MHz, 121.8 MHz, 269.1 MHz
Ground 121.4 MHz, 121.775 MHz, 226.9 MHz
Tower 118.2 MHz, 118.8 MHz, 231.8 MHz
Seoul Departure 121.35 MHz, 123.25 MHz, 125.15 MHz, 321.2 MHz
Seoul Approach 119.1 MHz, 119.75 MHz, 120.8 MHz, 305.7 MHz, 363.8 MHz

[edit] Accidents and incidents

[edit] Accidents and incidents at the airport

No serious fatal accidents or incidents have been recorded to date.

[edit] Accidents and incidents involving the airport

[edit] Airlines and destinations

There are currently over 69 airlines serving ICN. The largest carrier in terms of passenger numbers is Korean Air, followed by Asiana Airlines.

Note: All non-Korean (foreign) carriers will operate from concourse A from June 10th, 2008, but all check-in and immigration procedures will still take place in main passenger terminal.

[edit] International passenger flights