Airport, expressways filled with summer vacationers

Incheon International Airport was bustling with travelers and the nation’s expressways were heavily congested, as the summer vacation season began over the weekend.

An estimated 109,439 people left the airport on Sunday, up from last year’s record of 104,467 on July 31.

The Incheon International Airport Corporation estimates 6.84 million travelers will use the airport from July 15 to Aug. 20, up 3.4 percent from last summer.

This means 184,834 are using the airport daily during the period, exceeding the number of travelers in the winter as well as during the traditional holidays of Chuseok and Lunar New Year.

Summer vacationers are concentrated during this period, as workers with families arrange their vacations in time for their children’s summer break. During this period, Aug. 13 is estimated to have the greatest number of travelers at 204,500, due to the Liberation Day holiday falling on Aug. 15.

The airport corporation has temporarily increased the number of staff on duty, expanded the airport’s parking lot and started offering domestic airlines’ counter check-in services beginning at 5:40 a.m., half an hour before the usual time at 6:10 a.m.

It advises travelers to use public transportation and automated check-in services to reduce congestion.