Questions about stopover at Incheon
Apr 8, 2019, 3:35 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: Eurobonus, GarudaMiles, Qmiles
Posts: 66
Questions about stopover at Incheon
Dear FT members, would you guys help me with any suggestions? 
I have a plan to fly from Tokyo to Jakarta with my friend.
She’s Indonesian national and I am Norwegian citizen.
We want to do stopover and try the free transit tour in Seoul.
I read that Indonesian national can only stay max.24 hours airside as one need to posses a visa if he/she want to stay longer/leave the airport. My friend has no Aussie, Canada, Schengen or US Visa.
I’ve just checked Asiana website and found out that there are some flights from Narita which arrive in Incheon around 11:30 AM, 03:50 PM and 10:05 PM and only one flight from Incheon to Jakarta which departs every day on 05:15 PM.
Our plan is to book a ticket with arrival time at Incheon on 10:05 PM, stay airside and lounge (I am a SAS Gold holder), join the first tour in the morning and depart to Jakarta on 05:15 PM so we will stay less than 24 hours in South Korea.
Is this allowed?
I also read somewhere that one can choose free transit accommodation or free transit tour.
Or maybe the free accommodation is only for business class or forced transit?
Sorry for too many questions. I’ve never had any experience like this before.
Thank you for your attention, guys
I have a plan to fly from Tokyo to Jakarta with my friend.
She’s Indonesian national and I am Norwegian citizen.
We want to do stopover and try the free transit tour in Seoul.
I read that Indonesian national can only stay max.24 hours airside as one need to posses a visa if he/she want to stay longer/leave the airport. My friend has no Aussie, Canada, Schengen or US Visa.
I’ve just checked Asiana website and found out that there are some flights from Narita which arrive in Incheon around 11:30 AM, 03:50 PM and 10:05 PM and only one flight from Incheon to Jakarta which departs every day on 05:15 PM.
Our plan is to book a ticket with arrival time at Incheon on 10:05 PM, stay airside and lounge (I am a SAS Gold holder), join the first tour in the morning and depart to Jakarta on 05:15 PM so we will stay less than 24 hours in South Korea.
Is this allowed?
I also read somewhere that one can choose free transit accommodation or free transit tour.
Or maybe the free accommodation is only for business class or forced transit?
Sorry for too many questions. I’ve never had any experience like this before.
Thank you for your attention, guys
Apr 8, 2019, 10:16 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SYD
Programs: OZ Platinum LifeTime; DL PM; QF Gold; VA Gold; HH Diamond; IHG Diamond
Posts: 1,128
If your friend has no visa and requires a visa to pass through immigration, then there's no way she can join the transit tour as that requires entry into Korea. That's pretty clearly laid out in the transit tour conditions, not to mention it's an obvious requirement in any travel situation, so not sure what other possible answer you expected.
Apr 9, 2019, 3:49 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
Programs: KE Skypass Morning Calm Member, OZ Club
Posts: 2,352
If your friend has no visa and requires a visa to pass through immigration, then there's no way she can join the transit tour as that requires entry into Korea. That's pretty clearly laid out in the transit tour conditions, not to mention it's an obvious requirement in any travel situation, so not sure what other possible answer you expected.
https://www.airport.kr/ap_cnt/en/trn...tour/trtour.do
BUT if you arrive at 10:05 PM - the airport basically closes at night. Lounges are not open and facilities are bare bones. You would need to get a transit hotel AND then go back to the transit area to be let out. Highly technical and I'm sure it wouldn't go over simply haha.