AirAsia X Addresses Gimpo Landing Confusion for Incheon-Bound Flight, Citing Weather Conditions

Brickinfo News Agency – An AirAsia X flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, bound for Seoul’s Incheon International Airport was diverted to Gimpo International Airport, leading to a significant delay and confusion among passengers. The airline has since clarified that the diversion of flight D7506 was a necessary safety measure due to adverse weather conditions and the need for refueling, refuting initial reports that it was a mistaken landing.

The incident involved flight D7506, which was scheduled to arrive at Incheon at approximately 7:30 PM. Instead, the aircraft landed at Gimpo at 7:50 PM and remained on the tarmac for about two hours before proceeding to its intended destination, finally arriving at Incheon around 11:00 PM, approximately four hours behind schedule. According to initial passenger accounts, the situation onboard was confusing. Some passengers were reportedly told by cabin crew that the aircraft was low on fuel, while the captain announced it was an emergency landing. The confusion was heightened when some crew members appeared unaware of their location until passengers, who noticed they were at Gimpo, began retrieving their luggage from overhead compartments.

A report from the Korea Herald cited a passenger, Lee Mi-hyun, who described the chaotic scene. “It seemed that the flight attendants did not know we had landed in Gimpo until the passengers told them,” she stated. The report also noted that no apology was offered by the crew upon the flight’s eventual arrival at Incheon International Airport.

In response to the incident and subsequent reports, AirAsia X issued a statement to clarify the circumstances. The airline’s CEO, Benyamin Ismail, formally addressed the matter. “Flight D7506 from Sepang to Incheon landed at Gimpo Airport for refueling due to unfavorable weather conditions,” Ismail explained. “After all safety procedures were completed, the aircraft departed for Incheon International Airport, where passengers ultimately disembarked.”

The airline acknowledged a communication error in the initial announcements made by the crew during the landing but affirmed that the captain quickly clarified the necessity of the diversion. Both Incheon and Gimpo airports serve the Seoul metropolitan area and are located approximately 40 kilometers apart. The route is operated by AirAsia X using an Airbus A330-300 aircraft.