Incheon International Airport Corp. has installed a transparent safety fence at the entrance to Counter E in Terminal 1 after repeated queue-jumping incidents at the departure hall drew viral attention. The move also includes high-visibility stickers or film on the panels, additional safety personnel and continued warnings that check-in can be refused if passenger safety is threatened.
The incidents centred on the third-floor departure hall, where passengers were seen rushing past queue barriers and ducking under retractable belts. Coverage linked the behaviour to groups that included Chinese daigou, or cross-border shoppers, and reported that earlier attempts by staff to control the surges had led to injuries. The airport has since shifted from warnings and monitoring to a physical barrier designed to stop passengers bypassing the access route. Officials said no further queue-jumping had occurred after the reinforcement, while the operator continued to maintain order through regular deployment of safety staff.