That is probably why travellers voted it the world's best airport this year, said the official, Mr Yun Han Young.
'It was a matter of making sure that all the different operations at the airport were on the same page,' he said.
'Some divisions - such as the police and tax departments - were not that service-minded because of the nature of their business, but we provide on-the-job training that puts a priority on service.'
A survey of 190 airports around the world by the British-based consultancy group Skytrax has ranked Incheon first this year for the first time in its history.
Hong Kong International Airport was voted second best, while Singapore's Changi International Airport slipped to third place from second last year.
Incheon, located about 70km from Seoul, often ranks among the busiest airports in the world.
It boasts a golf course, a spa, private sleeping rooms, a casino and indoor gardens that, according to the airport's website, offer 'travellers an oasis of calm and tranquillity permeated with the refreshing scent of pine'.
Mr Yun said the airport realised right from the start of operations in 2001 that the criticisms of passengers were justified for the most part, and were its own fault.
Therefore, it implemented a culture that took customer feedback seriously.
Mr Yun revealed that Incheon's management went to such lengths as making random phone calls and even posing as customers on a regular basis to test the efficiency of the airport's employees.
Each department's service performance is also made public in order to stimulate competition, he said.
Apart from comprehensive surveys, the airport has also made use of whatever avenues it has to collect feedback from its customers.
Hotlines, the Internet, customer satisfaction cards and specially formed customer committees are all available for customers to make known their grievances and recommendations.
One area that the airport is particularly concerned with is the immigration and Customs process.
'That is the key area we felt which had the most impact on customer satisfaction,' Mr Yun said, adding that the airport has adopted what it calls a 'floating working system'.
Under the system, airport officials identify which stations and areas in the airport are most crowded with customers. They then immediately assign more manpower there to shorten the waiting time.
In 2005, departing passengers spent on average 29 minutes and 23 seconds from the time they entered the airport till they took off. That figure now stands roughly at 17 minutes and 58 seconds.
The total time it takes to get into the country through the airport is even shorter. It averages just 13 minutes and 29 seconds.
The 'ppali ppali mentality', as South Koreans refer to their quick working habits, also helped drive them to new records.
In 2006, the airport implemented a strategic plan of utilising the country's advanced technologies to transform Incheon into a 'Ubiquitous Airport' by next year.
In its race to reach that goal, the airport introduced an automated entrance and exit system in the middle of last year. The system serves biometric-passport holders, which means it uses fingerprint information and facial recognition.
A total of 20 such machines now serve about 4,000 passengers a day at Incheon.
The airport also provides a mobile phone service which passengers, hard-pressed for time, can call to check in. They can also select their seats in advance.
For those who have to spend time at the airport waiting for connecting flights or other reasons, Incheon is a veritable hive of cultural activities.
Forty regular events include jazz and classical concerts, as well as traditional music performances. These are staged three times a week.
Among its growing army of admirers is Mr Park Seong Su, who describes himself as a frequent business traveller working for a mid-sized company specialising in security systems.
'It's not the modern facilities that impress me but rather the feeling that everything here is very closely coordinated,' he said.
'I feel like I am cruising through the airport.'
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This article was first published in The Straits Times.
