"Where Is My Suitcase?" 26 Checked Bags Missing at Incheon Airport in 10 Days... Why?

26 Pieces of Baggage Left Behind on 9 Flights in 10 Days
Unusual Incidents Linked to Changes in Security Screening Operations

There have recently been a series of incidents at Incheon International Airport where checked baggage was not loaded onto aircraft. In particular, with similar issues repeatedly occurring mainly at Terminal 2, concerns are being raised regarding baggage handling and the staffing of security screening personnel.

Quoting industry sources, Yonhap News and other outlets reported on the 19th that on September 4, a total of 16 checked bags were not loaded onto four Jin Air flights departing from Terminal 2 at Incheon Airport. On September 10, an additional 10 bags were left behind on five Jin Air flights. In just ten days, 26 checked bags were not loaded onto a total of nine flights.

It has been reported that these failures predominantly occurred on Japan-bound routes in the morning. The problem is believed to have been caused by delays in security screening, which resulted in checked luggage not completing the necessary inspection and sorting process before flight departure. The airline responded by sending the delayed baggage to passengers on subsequent flights.

The scene at the departure hall of Incheon International Airport ahead of the Constitution Day holiday in July. Photo by Yonhap News

During the same period, other airlines operating out of Terminal 2 also experienced delays in baggage screening, raising the possibility that the actual number of unboarded bags could be even higher.

Given that Incheon Airport's baggage handling system (BHS) is among the best in the world, with only 2 cases of unboarded luggage per 1 million pieces handled, the recent situation is considered very unusual.

Possible causes include changes to the way security screening staff are deployed. After Asiana Airlines moved to Terminal 2 earlier this year, some security screening personnel from Terminal 1 supported operations at Terminal 2, but this support ended as of this month due to the lack of an agreement between management and labor at Incheon International Airport Security, a subsidiary of Incheon International Airport Corporation.

The security screening workers' union says that new staff must be hired to address the personnel shortage. In contrast, Incheon International Airport Corporation maintains that the recent baggage loading issues are a temporary phenomenon and has established an emergency work system to prevent recurrence.

With passenger numbers expected to surge ahead of the Chuseok holiday, Incheon Airport is said to be closely monitoring the situation regarding baggage handling.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.