Posted by The month of April saw not only warmer weather, but really good news for Incheon Airport! ๐ For one, we achieved the highest rating on a recent customer satisfaction evaluation for the second year in a row. ๐ค Also, after years of a travel slump due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Incheon Airport looks like it will be able to pull in a surplus for the first time since 2020, thanks to the easing of quarantine regulations and the resumption of visa-free travel.
There was a strong focus on efforts to improve airport convenience for everyone, Incheon Airport employees and visitors alike. Curious to find out about all the major happenings from this past month? โบ Read on for all the details on Incheon Airportโs news recap for April! ๐
๐ Incheon Airport expected to achieve surplus for the first time in 3 years
๐ Incheon Airport Observatory reopens after renovation
๐ Highest rating on customer satisfaction survey for second year in a row
๐ Recruitment and hiring event held for airport resident companies
๐ Support measures for normalization of travel demand announced
๐ Advancement made towards becoming energy-independent airport
Incheon Airport expected to achieve surplus for the first time in 3 years!
For the past three years, Incheon Airport has been in crisis mode due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As airport operational revenue saw a sharp decline, we saw the worst financial performance to date since the airport first opened. To overcome these struggles, the airport pivoted to emergency management in 2020 and has been working hard to ensure more efficient operations.๐
For example, costs were drastically cut for low-priority projects. Also, for the first time since the airport was established, it received international credit ratings to issue overseas bonds to secure a $300 million financial system. ๐ต. In addition, even in the face of deficits, aging facilities were replaced, and 90% of airport employees were able to hold onto their jobs.
It is predicted that operating profits will turn into a surplus for the first time in three years due to steady efforts to assess and overcome COVID-19. In line with this, we ask for your continued interest and support so that Incheon Airport can continue to make leaps forward! โบ
Look out at the airplanes taking off and landing! Incheon Airport Observatory reopens after renovation
Thereโs a place where you can see a panoramic view of Incheon Airport with all the planes โ๏ธ taking off and landing. The Incheon Airport Oseongsan Observatory is located on Oseongsan Mountain in Jung-gu, overlooking Incheon Airport. It first opened in December 1996, with its first facility refurbishment having been carried out in 2009. After undergoing its second renovation to improve aging facilities in October of last year, the observatory finally reopened in April this year! โจ
The railing of the outdoor viewing space was not only replaced to be higher than before to increase safety, it is now open for public use during the entirety of operating hours. Speaking of hours, you can now enjoy the observatory from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM compared to the previous hours of 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. โฐ All of the facilities are free and open 365 days a year. So if you want to experience a view that makes you feel like the sky is the limit, we recommend you drop by the observatory!
Learn more about Incheon Airport Oseongsan Observatory
Receives highest rating on customer satisfaction survey for public organizations for second year in a row!
Koreaโs Ministry of Strategy and Finance conducts a customer satisfaction survey of public institutions every year. Incheon Airport received the highest rating of “Excellent” โบ๏ธfor the second consecutive year on the “2022 Public Institution Customer Satisfaction Survey”, after first pulling off the same feat in 2021. This survey is conducted on customers of public institution services, to ultimately improve service quality and customer service satisfaction.
In this most recent evaluation, a total of 252 public institutions were assessed. There were only five public organizations that received the ‘excellent’ rating, including Incheon Airport! Let’s take a look at the efforts Incheon Airport has been making to receive such high marks. ๐
One of the main reasons for the high ratings was that Incheon Airport always sought to provide safe and convenient services despite the rapid increase in the number of passengers due to the easing of quarantine regulations around the world. Going beyond just being a smart airport, Incheon Airport established itself as a smart quarantine airport, with solutions including creating in-house COVID-19 testing centers and meticulous crisis response. You can rest assured that Incheon Airport will always put the safety of its passengers first!
Recruitment and hiring event held for airport resident companies!
The average number of daily passengers visiting Incheon Airport has reached 130,000 following the recent recovery in travel demand. ๐ฉโ๐ซ With the number of people using the airport on the rise, about 600 new employees have been hired at Incheon Airport to solve the workforce shortage problem. From April 17th to the 21st, a recruitment and hiring event for resident companies was held at the Aviation Job Support Center on the 4th floor of Passenger Terminal 1! This event was a specially customized recruitment event, jointly held by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Incheon International Airport Corporation, Korea Airports Corporation, Korea Aviation Association, Ministry of Employment and Labor, and Incheon Metropolitan City. Any job seeker under the age of 60, including young adults, middle-aged, and women with career gaps, were able to attend in hopes of making their dreams of working at Incheon Airport come true! Some of the attendees who submitted their resumes and CVs were even asked to interview for positions on site. As a result of this, a total of 604 people are being processed for hire at this very moment! In addition, we are preparing measures to improve working conditions, such as financial support policies for commuters, expanding the employee lounges, and improving operating equipment. Doesnโt Incheon Airport sound like a great place to work? ๐
Visit Korea campaign announces support measures for normalization of travel demand, including increasing demand for transit travel!
Recently the Incheon Airport Travel Demand Normalization Support Plan was announced in hopes to revitalize major markets for Korean tourism, such as the neighboring countries of China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, and to restore the core network of Incheon Airport. This year, Incheon Airport collaborated with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, aiming to attract about 10 million tourists to Korea. The travel demand normalization support plan consists of five programs: New Incubator Program, Welcome to ICN Incentive, Network Rebooting 2.0, Welcome Back Campaign, and Transfer Network Revitalization Incentive. Let us explain each one in further detail.
First of all, there are two main categories โ๏ธof supply (attracting new flights and increasing the number of flights) and demand (attracting more foreign and transit passengers). The program is set to run from March to June.
1) New incubator with new flights
Incheon Airport plans to establish and support new strategic flight routes for budding overseas business locations by lowering initial entry barriers for airlines and increasing the size of marketing support.
2) Network Rebooting 2.0
: A program aimed at normalizing 58 routes that have yet to recover to pre-COVID-19 supply levels among the core routes that form the center of the Incheon Airport network. A total of 10 routes and airlines that achieved excellent performance during the peak summer travel season (June-August) will be selected to receive marketing and operating support of 20 to 50 million won per route.
3) Welcome to ICN incentives
: Marketing support program to promote inbound passenger demand, especially during the peak summer season.ย Up to 20 million won of financial support will be offered per Korea travel package that offers flights using an international flight route to/from Incheon Airport.ย
Learn more about the โWelcome to ICNโ project
4) Incentives to revitalize Transit Network
: Hub network support offered to help prevent loss of transit passengers stemming from the resumption ofย direct flights to neighboring countries. A total of 500 million won in marketing support will be given starting in June, depending on the number of transit passengers logged for the second half of the year.
5) Welcome Back Campaign
: This campaign targets the month of May, considered the peak time for traveling to Korea. Plans include social media contests calling for Korea-related content and short-form/video/photos, mainly targeting the MZ generations who tend to travel more and value participation and fun. Furthermore, discounts for layover programs and discount coupons for duty-free and commercial facilities will be offered to revitalize shopping tourism.
Advancement made towards becoming energy-independent airport through attracting solar energy plants
This past April 21st, there was the good news of Incheon Airport and LS Electric Co., Ltd. signing an implementation agreement on direct power purchase contracts for the construction and operation of solar power complexes. It is the first case of a public institution attracting a power generation complex through such an agreement! It is also part of the airportโs mid- to long-term plan to commit to 100% renewable energy, after joining RE100 in February of last year. ๐
The goal is to increase the direct generation of renewable energy at Incheon Airport facilities and increase the proportion of renewable energy out of total electricity usage to 100%! The main points of the agreement, which spans until the year 2044, consist of the development and operations of on-site renewable solar power plants, energy supply to airport facilities, and direct connection to the power grid. The hope is for Incheon Airport to soon become Koreaโs representative eco-friendly public organization!
Today we shared the headline stories from the month of April at Incheon Airport. Thanks to all of our passengers who have been visiting our airport, it was a great month filled with positive news. We ask for your continued interest and support so we can follow through on the plans and goals covered today! ๐