A_Lee

ICN is a very easy airport for transiting, so normally I wouldn't consider even posting about doing an ICN turnaround being I would think it should be without any real problems or pitfalls. But I was too lax in my own thinking and probably came very close to failing in my turnaround.

I was doing BKK-ICN-BKK on two separate PNRs. My inbound was the last flight of the day (TG628) followed by the same plane back to BKK. The scheduled arrival time is 19:45 and scheduled departure time is 20:50. Well, the arrival time is the landing time, after which it normally takes a good 10 minutes to arrive at the gate. Our flight was 5 minutes late, and I was at the very back of the plane, so the last one off.

There was only one staff member at the A concourse transfer security checkpoint, but when I entered she called to the other staff members who were evidently taking a break being the place was previously deserted. I was through in a matter of seconds, up one level and right there is the TG / *A transfer counter. The time was then 20:10, and from my past experience, TG closes their main check-in counters at about 20:15. If my flight had been delayed only 5 more minutes, I wonder if having closed check-in if they would have even allowed me to check-in as a transit passenger. At the transfer desk, they had already shut down the TG sign and basically has closed up, but had to reopen for me. The counter is manned by OZ staff who contract to TG. While processing my return boarding pass, many of her coworkers (from various other posts, not the transfer desk) passed by telling her goodbye on their way home, so after 20:00 there is evidently only a skeleton crew left there. The transfer desk definitely closes down at night, as does almost all functions of the airport except the most basic. I felt I was lucky to have made it in time and thought to myself how stupid that I didn't simply do an online checkin. Had the counter really been closed, not sure if I could have gotten my return boarding pass at the gate or not. Certainly there would have been no issue in walking over to the gate, but not sure if they could get the system to issue my boarding pass or not. If I was to ever do an ICN turnaround in the future, I don't think I'd risk it if it was the last flight of the day unless I had my return boarding pass already before heading into ICN.

The transfer desk girl had Lots of questions and shaking of her head as to why I was coming from BKK and going right back, but after some time I finally got my boarding pass, showing a 20:20 boarding time, which looking at my watch was right then. I think ICN has one of the fastest turnaround times for aircraft, being able to prep a plane in only 30 minutes after it arrives at the gate, for a departure less than an hour after arrival.

As a side note, being OZ Diamond Plus, I'm able to access the OZ F lounge. TG and other *A carriers at ICN don't have their own lounges but use the OZ C and F lounges. Two days prior to this, I was in the OZ F lounge and as I was leaving told lounge dragon that I'd see them in two days. Being the F lounge normally closes at 1900 on that day of the week, she told me she'd ask that the lounge remain open and the food remain out for me. Wow, what fantastic service from OZ!!! Not even flying on OZ metal and they offer to keep the lounge open for one passenger. Quite unbelievable that they do this, much less offering to do it without asking. The OZ staff at the concourse A lounge at ICN are really fantastic IMHO, which was my opinion even before this. So anyways, on my return, even though the time was already the scheduled boarding time, I knew I had to make my way to the OZ F lounge, which is only a minute away up the escalators. Plus I knew with the slight delay in arrival of the inbound flight, the outbound boarding time would also be a bit delayed.

At the OZ F lounge, sure enough they kept it open for me, with the lights on in the business center and one computer left on, as they knew I enjoyed accessing the internet on my trips there. And the full dinner selection out and ready for me. I could have used a shower, but no time for both food and shower so quickly ate as much as I could. They had barbecued pork ribs as one of the main dishes, which was excellent, along with some sushi, fresh fruit, macadamia nuts, a Haagen-Daz ice cream bar, etc. I was glad I saved my appetite by not eating on the plane. Just as I was finishing the boarding announcement for the TG flight was made and I thanked the staff profusely for their great service in keeping the lounge open, and told them I'd see them again in 6 days.

At the gate they were processing regular Y passengers on both the economy and business/*G doors. One of the staff saw I was *G and let me bypass the others, and I headed downstairs to the plane, only to hear my name being called out as I was about to enter the airbridge. I thought, "great, what now, they're not going to let me board because it's a turnaround?" As it turns out, ICN is very strict apparently about needing to show your inbound boarding pass, and the transfer desk girl must have been a bit flustered being she was getting ready to leave and the confusion about why I was going back to the same place I came. She never asked to see my inbound boarding pass, so the girl calling me needed to see it to allow me to board the flight. So a word of warning to anyone doing a turnaround or transit at ICN, be sure you don't lose your inbound boarding pass.

A good lesson for me when doing turnarounds or short transfers - don't let down your guard, even if it's an airport you think you know very well. If in doubt, do an OLCI to get your boarding pass before arrival.