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https://www.nationalacademies.org/trb/events

Incheon Dreams Big: Seoul's Futuristic Airport Seeks to Become One of World's Top Hubs

Celebrating its eighth anniversary, Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) remains an architecturally striking, futuristic-looking structure, but it is not attracting as many passengers as it had in the past. Its 30 million passengers for 2008 represents a decline of four percent from 2007, and it does not rank among the 30 busiest passenger airports in the world or in Asia’s top six. The government agency that manages it has a mandate to increase the number of passengers while maintaining high levels of service. Last June, Phase Two of ICN’s construction was completed, adding a new 4,000-meter runway, the third and longest of the complex, a second concourse with 30 gates, and the ability to handle 170,00 more flight movements a year. Longer term, the hope is to turn ICN into the premier hub for northeast Asia and a leading megahub for the world. ICN is in the center of a developing “air city” on reclaimed landed just off the Korean coast in the Yellow Sea about 40 miles west of downtown Seoul. There are plans to develop a world-class resort around it, a theme park, and a logistics center to attract more cargo business. Construction of the theme park is expected to start in 2011 and be complete by 2013. While passenger numbers have been disappointing, air cargo volume is high enough that it ranks as the fifth busiest cargo airport in the world. As a region, northeast Asia accounts for 30 percent of the world’s air cargo volume.

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Print
  • Features: Photos;
  • Pagination: pp 55-57
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01127556
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: UC Berkeley Transportation Library
  • Files: BTRIS, TRIS
  • Created Date: Apr 30 2009 8:28AM