This file photo, taken May 24, 2019, shows workers at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, sorting air travelers’ baggage. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s transport ministry said Wednesday it has introduced a new system with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) allowing air travelers from Incheon to Atlanta to connect to onward flights without having to reclaim and recheck their baggage.
The ministry said it has begun implementing an international remote baggage screening (IRBS) system with the TSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Under the system, X-ray images of checked baggage taken at Incheon International Airport are transmitted in advance to the United States, enabling security officials there to screen luggage before the aircraft arrives. If no issues are detected, baggage is transferred directly to connecting flights.
Previously, passengers transiting at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport had to collect their luggage, undergo searches and then check in their baggage again with connecting airlines.
Incheon International Airport, South Korea’s main gateway located west of Seoul, is the third airport in the world to introduce a IRBS system for flights to the U.S., after Sydney International Airport and London’s Heathrow Airport.
The Incheon-Atlanta route is operated daily by Korean Air Co. and Delta Air Lines Inc. Both carriers participated in testing of the remote screening system.
The ministry said it will work with U.S. counterparts to expand the program to other routes, building on the enhanced efficiency and convenience for travelers.
(Yonhap)
