Not exactly breaking news but :

Incheon airport T2 set to open the 18th of Jan 2018.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/Recommended/business/99

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20171129000910

Interesting to note that KE will finally have priority queues for immigration and security, on top of having an "exclusive" first class lounge (instead of a replica of a business class lounge).

KE will also have enough A380 gates to not have to use the satellite terminal for SYD flights during the christmas season

Is there a plan for other Skyteam airlines to move to T2? What about Jin Air?

konkret wrote:

Is there a plan for other Skyteam airlines to move to T2? What about Jin Air?

Initially KE, DL, AF, KL are planned to move to T2. Surprisingly GA and VN will still be using the current concourse 1. Weren't they the SkyTeam member also? LOL

How many gates?

I am a bit surprised CSA doesn’t move along with Korean Air.

I still think it was short-sighted of them to build Terminal 2 so far south. It should have been built farther to the north closer to the water allowing for additional concourses at a later point, now they can only build 1 additional concourse midfield. I'm sure the can build additional expansions along the sides but just seems wasteful.

bluefltspecial wrote:

I still think it was short-sighted of them to build Terminal 2 so far south. It should have been built farther to the north closer to the water allowing for additional concourses at a later point, now they can only build 1 additional concourse midfield. I'm sure the can build additional expansions along the sides but just seems wasteful.

I was looking at that too, but it still looks to me as if they might be able to fit 2 more concourses in, if they build a new concourse where the midfield control tower is currently, and squeeze the distance a bit between the concourses, that might allow room for 2 concourses to be built, but I agree, they definitely should have built T2 further North, then it would be a non-issue and they could have added maybe 3 or 4 new concourses between the Two.

Am I crazy for thinking Terminal 2 doesn't look big enough for all of Korean Air's operations?

Don't get me wrong, this is a huge improvement and I'm thrilled whenever see airports expanding (especially since we in North America seem to have lost the art and have adopted Europe's lipstick-on-a-pig approach) but this doesn't look like a ton of gates. No wonder all the Skyteam members aren't moving over.

The transportation center is very impressive..... .....


http://www.airport.kr/images/en/sub/CO_ ... g03_en.jpg

Really looking forward to transiting through this new terminal. After DL dropped NRT-BKK, my transition point US-BKK has been ICN. This should improve that experience a lot.

jsnww81 wrote:

Am I crazy for thinking Terminal 2 doesn't look big enough for all of Korean Air's operations?

Don't get me wrong, this is a huge improvement and I'm thrilled whenever see airports expanding (especially since we in North America seem to have lost the art and have adopted Europe's lipstick-on-a-pig approach) but this doesn't look like a ton of gates. No wonder all the Skyteam members aren't moving over.

I just passed through ICN. I read that eventually there will be a third terminal built.

Eventually another midfield concourse will be built between the new terminal 2 and existing satellite terminal.

jsnww81 wrote:

Am I crazy for thinking Terminal 2 doesn't look big enough for all of Korean Air's operations?

Don't get me wrong, this is a huge improvement and I'm thrilled whenever see airports expanding (especially since we in North America seem to have lost the art and have adopted Europe's lipstick-on-a-pig approach) but this doesn't look like a ton of gates. No wonder all the Skyteam members aren't moving over.

KE kind of gets ~10 more gates with the move. With AF and KL only flying 1x daily and DL only 3x it should be enough. Room was also left on both sides if the terminal to expand and create another 10 gates down the road if need be.

Will these mean that more flights will move from GMP to ICN? Or is the long term plan to keep GMP open as a short haul type airport?

Block40Osan wrote:

Initially KE, DL, AF, KL are planned to move to T2. Surprisingly GA and VN will still be using the current concourse 1. Weren't they the SkyTeam member also? LOL

How about AM?

qantas747 wrote:

Will these mean that more flights will move from GMP to ICN? Or is the long term plan to keep GMP open as a short haul type airport?

I’ve not seen any official plan but I suspect not. Gimpo is far more convenient that Incheon for those living in Seoul, and thus it will continue to be the capital’s domestic air hub. I also suspect the number of international flights won’t decrease either.

c152sy wrote:

qantas747 wrote:

Will these mean that more flights will move from GMP to ICN? Or is the long term plan to keep GMP open as a short haul type airport?

I’ve not seen any official plan but I suspect not. Gimpo is far more convenient that Incheon for those living in Seoul, and thus it will continue to be the capital’s domestic air hub. I also suspect the number of international flights won’t decrease either.

Gimpo is going through a huge renovation of all 3 terminals suggesting domestic flights aren't going anywhere. Furthermore international flights have been capped at Tokyo/Osaka/Beijing/Shanghai/Taipei and are much more convenient than their ICN counterparts

How about AREX / KTX connections from T2 ?
Hopefully available from opening date to Seoul Station and KTX network.

Looking post-modern (see: more and more Chinese airports) does not a pleasant experience make.

ICN is a vastly overrated hub. The security area is tight, smoke from the smoking "lounges" regularly seeps out, seating is scarce, and post-security food options are a let-down-- while on my way to ICN, I've stopped at GMP just to eat.

DKTraveller wrote:

How about AREX / KTX connections from T2 ?
Hopefully available from opening date to Seoul Station and KTX network.

Terminus moved from T1 transport center to T2 transport center. Buses will also be based in T2 transport center before making a stop at arrivals in T1.

BuildingMyBento wrote:

Looking post-modern (see: more and more Chinese airports) does not a pleasant experience make.

ICN is a vastly overrated hub. The security area is tight, smoke from the smoking "lounges" regularly seeps out, seating is scarce, and post-security food options are a let-down-- while on my way to ICN, I've stopped at GMP just to eat.

Do you go to GMP to build your bento?

So I assume the main building will be for Asiana Airlines, The Satellite Terminal will be for oneworld/unaffiliated airlines, and Terminal 2 will be for Korean Air and eventually every other SkyTeam airline? Nice terminal it seems like.

Was ICN congested terminal wise before the Terminal 2 opening? Were there enough gates for KE even with OZ using the main terminal as well?

NichCage wrote:

So I assume the main building will be for Asiana Airlines, The Satellite Terminal will be for oneworld/unaffiliated airlines, and Terminal 2 will be for Korean Air and eventually every other SkyTeam airline? Nice terminal it seems like.

Was ICN congested terminal wise before the Terminal 2 opening? Were there enough gates for KE even with OZ using the main terminal as well?

Yeah, it is pretty crowded these days. Security feels like it has been getting slower and you do occasionally now see Korean Air in the satellite. Asiana won't even get close to filling T1 by itself, so my guess is you'll see a lot of premium foreign airlines moving into T1 and the LCCs staying in the concourse. Cathay are about to revamp their ICN lounge, so I'd imagine that will be in T1 and they'd be one of the airlines moving...

More pix.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/f ... 052965001/

Wow! Congrats to ICN and KE! Would love to visit soon!

What a relief for ICN to finally open terminal 2. I was at ICN 6 days before the opening and I could see that T1 was extremely saturated. Took me around an hour to pass security and outbound immigration.

Looks awesome! I'm flying in from PEK to ICN next month, hope it is on T2!

Star Alliance carriers moved to T1 with Asiana.

gatibosgru wrote:

Looks awesome! I'm flying in from PEK to ICN next month, hope it is on T2!

What airline will you be using?

BuildingMyBento wrote:

Looking post-modern (see: more and more Chinese airports) does not a pleasant experience make.

ICN is a vastly overrated hub. The security area is tight, smoke from the smoking "lounges" regularly seeps out, seating is scarce, and post-security food options are a let-down-- while on my way to ICN, I've stopped at GMP just to eat.

Fly CX or TG to ICN from HKG. 90% of the time CX uses the satellite terminal. So delighted to see they had a Taco Bell there! I find ICN pretty nice to use, but to each his own. One that can use some modernization, is NRT the JAL/AA/CX terminal, or CX on the China Airlines/CX side.

I flew through new ICN Terminal 2 last week.
It is BEAUTIFUL. Absolutely gorgeous. And I don't know what BulidingMyBento's problem is- I've enjoyed every single one of my transits through Incheon.
But I DO agree that food options are unacceptably few and small. It's going to be a big problem.
There were basically three tiny bars (per half of the terminal U-shape) to get food at, they were each overcrowded, and only offer a few items. Fish and Chips, serving fish and chips and basically nothing else, a noodle bar, and the "grill," which served pasta and a couple of other items.
The food I had was indeed good, but the terminal was hardly crowded at all.
They certainly didn't skimp on the name-brand shopping options. I guess those must be more profitable per square meter than restaurants????
The transit hotel is fantastic, BUT, the motion-sensitive light in the room turns on and off even while you're sleeping. The front desk told me that it's too sensitive, and sees motion in the hallway through the gap under the room's entry door. That DESPERATELY needs to be fixed.

Now, they’ll need a terminal for Asiana and Star Alliance members

flydude380 wrote:

Now, they’ll need a terminal for Asiana and Star Alliance members

They took over Terminal 1

Yahnih wrote:

flydude380 wrote:

Now, they’ll need a terminal for Asiana and Star Alliance members

They took over Terminal 1

But where will the missilaneous (spelling?) carriers go?

jubguy3 wrote:

gatibosgru wrote:

Looks awesome! I'm flying in from PEK to ICN next month, hope it is on T2!

What airline will you be using?

KE

gatibosgru wrote:

jubguy3 wrote:

gatibosgru wrote:

Looks awesome! I'm flying in from PEK to ICN next month, hope it is on T2!

What airline will you be using?

KE

Great! KE moved to terminal 2 along with SkyTeam partners Delta, Air France, and KLM. Other partners will move later.

bluefltspecial wrote:

I still think it was short-sighted of them to build Terminal 2 so far south. It should have been built farther to the north closer to the water allowing for additional concourses at a later point, now they can only build 1 additional concourse midfield. I'm sure the can build additional expansions along the sides but just seems wasteful.

The new terminal isn't fully built. So that 'wasted space' in the far North is reserved to be used for when they deploy the expansion plan 'stage 4', at which the T2 is finally fully built, due in 2023.
Below are the bird's eye view of ICN expansion plans; the current stage 3 and 2023 stage 4 respectively. Note 'the other part' of T2 in the lower picture stretching all the way up north.

bluefltspecial wrote:

I still think it was short-sighted of them to build Terminal 2 so far south. It should have been built farther to the north closer to the water allowing for additional concourses at a later point, now they can only build 1 additional concourse midfield. I'm sure the can build additional expansions along the sides but just seems wasteful.

The new terminal isn't fully built. So that 'wasted space' in the far North is reserved to be used for when they deploy the expansion plan 'stage 4', at which the T2 is finally fully built, due in 2023.
Below are the bird's eye view of ICN expansion plans; the current stage 3 and 2023 stage 4 respectively. Note 'the other part' of T2 in the lower picture stretching all the way up north.





edit : I accidentally hit the submit button twice and this got posted twice. I tried to delete one but it wouldn't let me do so. So apologies for that.