Korean Air "No On-Site Ticketing with Mileage"...Passengers "Boiling"

Korean Air announced that starting from the 21st, airport waiting will be restricted when purchasing international bonus tickets or upgrading seats, sparking backlash that the airline is making mileage usage increasingly difficult.

On the 4th, Korean Air posted on its official website, "To provide smooth boarding services, starting from the 21st, waiting at the airport will be restricted when using international bonus tickets (including seat upgrades)," and urged customers to complete related reservations and ticket purchases in advance.

[Photo by Yonhap News]

Bonus tickets refer to tickets purchased using airline mileage. In principle, to purchase tickets or upgrade seats with mileage, the purchase must be completed in advance. This is because each airline limits the ratio of mileage seats per flight.

However, even if seats were insufficient and mileage ticket reservations could not be made, some passengers waited on the day at the airport to purchase seats with mileage or upgrade to business or first class. They aimed to take advantage of additional mileage seats released on-site if there was availability.

Korean Air stated that while they had accepted passenger requests depending on the situation, such methods will be restricted starting from the 21st.

As a result, voices of dissatisfaction have emerged on online communities and social media, criticizing Korean Air for making mileage usage more difficult again after previously reducing mileage benefits.

One passenger said, "Originally, even if you booked an economy seat, if there were no paid passengers in business or first class, you could be upgraded immediately at the airport, but now that is no longer expected."

In response, Korean Air explained, "According to bonus ticket issuance regulations, airport waiting is not allowed, but some allowances were made considering on-site situations," adding, "To provide consistent and stable service operations, we are enforcing existing regulations."

They continued, "On-site ticket issuance can cause delays in departure times and other difficulties," and added, "This measure is to improve the efficiency of airport on-site operations and ensure on-time flights."

Korean Air also explained that domestic and international airlines such as Asiana Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Air France, and Cathay Pacific do not allow mileage ticket issuance at the airport.

Previously, Korean Air announced a mileage system reform plan to change the mileage deduction criteria for bonus tickets and seat upgrades from 'region' to 'distance' and planned to implement it in April.

However, as the reform plan was met with explosive dissatisfaction, being seen as a 'consumer-unfriendly change,' and with pressure from the government and the National Assembly expressing difficulty in agreeing to the mileage system reform, Korean Air withdrew and announced a full review of the system change at the end of February.