SEOUL- Korean Air (KE) has been fined 10 million won ($7,400) by South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport after 52 international passengers were mistakenly taken to the domestic terminal at Gimpo International Airport (GMP) instead of the international arrivals facility.
The incident involved passengers arriving from Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) on June 7, raising concerns over airport transfer procedures and immigration controls.
The passengers were traveling on Korean Air Flight KE2106 from Tokyo Haneda to Seoul Gimpo.
After landing, they were divided among several ramp buses operated by a ground-handling company, but one bus followed the wrong route and delivered 52 passengers to the domestic terminal.
International Passengers Bypassed Immigration Controls
The passengers reportedly did not realize they had reached the wrong terminal. They entered the building alongside passengers arriving on domestic flights, meaning the international travelers moved beyond the normal arrival route before completing immigration procedures.
The situation became particularly serious because four of the 52 passengers reportedly left Gimpo Airport without undergoing immigration screening.
They later returned to the airport and completed the required entry procedures after authorities identified the issue.
South Korean authorities subsequently worked with the airline and airport-related agencies to ensure that the affected passengers completed immigration processing.
The incident highlighted how a seemingly simple ground-handling error can create a significant security problem when international and domestic passenger flows become mixed.
Ramp Bus Took Wrong Route Procedures
Korean Air said its investigation found that the ground handler’s ramp-bus driver mistakenly followed a route that did not comply with international arrival procedures.
The airline said it acted after becoming aware of the problem and coordinated with the relevant airport authorities to complete immigration screening for the passengers.
Ramp buses play an important role at airports where aircraft park away from terminal buildings.
Their routes must ensure that passengers arriving internationally remain within the appropriate controlled flow until they reach immigration and other required arrival facilities.
The incident therefore involved more than a transportation mistake. South Korea’s aviation-security legislation establishes requirements for security measures and provides for administrative fines in certain cases involving failures to follow approved security procedures.
Korean Air Reviews Ground Operations Procedures.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport treated the incident as a violation of aviation-security regulations and imposed a 10 million won administrative fine on Korean Air.
The penalty follows the discovery that international passengers were able to enter the domestic arrival area without first completing immigration controls.
Korean Air acknowledged the seriousness of the incident and said it would review its on-site operating procedures.
The carrier also said it was examining and implementing measures designed to prevent a similar occurrence from happening again, Korea JoongAng Daily reported.
The case demonstrates the importance of maintaining strict separation between international and domestic passenger movements.
While the initial error involved a ramp-bus route, the subsequent movement of passengers beyond immigration shows why ground operations remain an important part of airport security.
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