Asiana Airlines Inc., South Korea's second-biggest airline, said Tuesday that Washington accepted its request to delay the implementation of a strengthened security check of its passengers bound for the United States.

On June 28, the US Transportation Security Administration asked 180 airlines in 105 countries to carry out a thorough pre-flight security check of passengers through interviews and screening.

It called on companies to apply for a delay in the implementation and give the reasons for the delay request by Oct. 19.

Local full-service carriers such as Korean Air Lines Co. and Asiana Airlines asked the TSA to delay the implementation of enhanced security checks until April 24 and Feb. 20, respectively.

The airlines came up with the dates via an estimate of the time it will take to relocate their facilities and equipment to the second passenger terminal at Incheon International Airport, scheduled to be completed in late January.

Korean Air is scheduled to move to the No. 2 terminal and Asiana will remain in the existing No. 1 terminal, although it too will have to reshuffle its service infrastructure, the companies said.

"On Tuesday, the TSA notified Asiana of its decision to delay the implementation by April 24 over the phone," a company spokesman said, adding the airline expects an official document from the agency on Wednesday. 

National flag carrier Korean Air has yet to receive a notification from the security agency.

Local passengers who travel to the US using low-cost carriers are subject to a security interview at the airlines' ticket desks from Oct. 26, according to the Seoul transport ministry. Domestic budget carriers currently operate flights to the US territories of Guam and Saipan.

At the US' request, full-service and low-cost carriers have already begun to carry out additional screenings of portable electronic equipment such as notebooks and smartphones before boarding gates from July 19, the ministry said.

The security interview also applies to passengers who travel to the US via Incheon airport. Airline staff will ask if passengers are carrying baggage that they may be carrying on behalf of someone else and whether or not they have booked a one-way ticket instead of the more common two-way reservation, it said. (Yonhap)