Check-in system malfunction at Incheon airport causes major delays

On Friday morning, a check-in system malfunction at Incheon International Airport triggered significant delays for travelers, according to the airport operator. The issue emerged at 4:30 a.m., disrupting the connectivity of ticketing systems across airlines at the airport's primary terminals. The malfunction affected eight airlines at Terminal 1 and five airlines at Terminal 2, leading to intermittent service interruptions.

By the afternoon, ticketing became effectively frozen at three airlines - China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and Air China. Long lines formed at the check-in counters, with some passengers expressing frustration at airlines that did not inform them of anticipated recovery times despite being close to their scheduled departures.

The airport operator attributed the disruption to a glitch in the global network of ARINC, an American aviation service provider. The operator is currently seeking solutions to resolve the problem and restore normal operations.