KUALA LUMPUR – AirAsia X (AAX) has confirmed that its Flight D7506, travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Incheon International Airport, was diverted to Gimpo International Airport yesterday due to adverse weather conditions and air traffic congestion at Incheon, with the aircraft landing at Gimpo at 8.08pm.
The airline, in a statement, said that the captain acted in full accordance with safety procedures, and the decision to divert the flight for refuelling was made to ensure the safety of all passengers.
Upon arrival at Gimpo, the captain addressed the confusion caused by the cabin crew’s earlier announcement, explaining that the diversion was due to weather conditions and congestion at Incheon.
The captain also apologised for the inconvenience caused.
AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail explained: "This was an unforeseen situation caused by adverse weather in Incheon.
Following the potential delay and the risk of landing with fuel below requirement, the aircraft was diverted to Gimpo International Airport in the interest of safety for refuelling."
The aircraft departed Gimpo at 10.03pm and reached Incheon at 10.56pm, with all passengers disembarking as originally planned.
The airline acknowledged a miscommunication by the cabin crew, who had caused confusion regarding the situation. Passengers had reportedly received conflicting information, with some even speculating that the landing was an emergency measure.
One passenger, Kim, recounted: “A passenger mentioned we were at Gimpo, not Incheon, and even the crew looked surprised and asked us to confirm.”
Following the incident, AirAsia X has committed to reviewing its communication processes. As a gesture of goodwill, the airline will offer travel vouchers to affected passengers.
“We thank our guests for their understanding and cooperation during this operational adjustment, which was necessary to ensure the safety of everyone on board," the airline said in a statement.
Gimpo International Airport is approximately 40 kilometres from Incheon, and the diversion ultimately added a delay of more than two hours to the flight's journey. - August 14, 2025
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