SEOUL: A transparent fence has been installed around a check-in counter at Incheon Airport in South Korea to prevent queue-jumping after footage of travellers rushing the counters went viral in July, the airport operator said on Wednesday (Aug 19).
The fence was installed around counter E in the departure area of Terminal 1.
Stickers have been placed on the transparent panels to make them more visible and prevent passengers from accidentally walking into them, Incheon International Airport said.
In the viral video, dozens of travellers believed to be “daigou,” or cross-border personal shoppers who buy goods for resale in China, were seen rushing towards the check-in counters, bypassing retractable belt barriers and pushing their luggage ahead of them.
Local media reported at least five crowd surges between July 2 and July 10 as passengers attempted to bypass the zigzag queue leading to the counters.
Some airport employees were reportedly injured while trying to guide passengers back into the designated lines.
The airport operator subsequently began displaying digital warnings that check-in services could be denied if passenger safety was threatened. It also deployed safety personnel to monitor the area.
An airport official said there had been no further cases of queue-jumping since the measures were introduced, adding that the airport would continue to prioritise passenger safety. - The Korea Herald/ANN
