Cecelia ChangAn AirAsia X flight (D7 506) from Kuala Lumpur to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport was delayed for more than two hours on 13 August after being diverted to Gimpo International Airport because of adverse weather conditions and heavy air traffic.
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Image credit: SBS News | Official Website
According to Korea JoongAng Daily, the flight was scheduled to arrive at Incheon at 7:50 pm, but touched down at Gimpo at 8:08 pm, which is roughly 40 kilometres away. Several passengers said they were caught off guard when a fellow traveller pointed out that they had landed at Gimpo, noting that the cabin crew appeared surprised as well. Some passengers even began retrieving their luggage, assuming they had reached their final destination.
In an official statement, AirAsia X explained that the diversion was a safety precaution due to poor weather and congestion at Incheon. The aircraft landed at Gimpo for refuelling before continuing its journey.
Image credit: AirAsia Newsroom | Official Website
The flight departed Gimpo at 10:03 pm and arrived at Incheon at 10:56 pm. The airline admitted to a miscommunication in the cabin announcement upon landing, but stated that the captain later clarified the situation and apologised to passengers.
AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail said the diversion to Gimpo was made in the interest of safety to avoid the risk of landing with fuel below the required level.
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AirAsia X added that it would review its onboard communication procedures and offer travel vouchers as a goodwill gesture to those affected.
