Airline Tickets Purchased Through Travel Platform Disappear
Payment Details Not Transmitted to Airline, Causing 'Difficulties'
Travel Platform States 100% Refund Not Possible
Singer K.Will suffered a loss when he tried to travel to Japan using an airline ticket purchased through a travel platform but was unable to use the ticket because the reservation details were not confirmed at the airline check-in counter at Incheon Airport.
Singer K.Will suffered a loss when he was unable to use a flight ticket purchased through a travel platform for a trip to Japan, as the reservation details were not confirmed at the airline check-in counter at Incheon Airport. YouTube capture
On the 19th, a video titled "Negotiated with a global travel agency over a no-show flight on the day of a Japan trip" was uploaded to K.Will's YouTube channel 'Hyeongsuneun K.Will.' In the video, K.Will said, "Something that sounds like a lie really happened. I paid for the plane ticket on the travel platform, but the payment details were not transmitted to the airline, so the ticket was not issued," adding, "They said the flight was already fully booked," expressing his frustration.
When K.Will visited the check-in counter at Incheon International Airport and asked the airline staff if such incidents happen often, the staff replied, "There are many cases where the ticket issued by the travel agency does not get transmitted to the airline." The staff explained, "To board a no-show seat, you first have to purchase a new ticket here and then get a refund later through the travel platform," adding, "You need to check the return ticket locally. We can only assist with a one-way ticket." The situation was such that tickets could only be issued if a no-show passenger who did not board the plane freed up a seat.
Fortunately, at that time, a no-show passenger appeared, and K.Will purchased a new ticket, but the one-way ticket to Osaka cost 600,000 KRW, which was similar to the price of a round-trip ticket. After arriving in Osaka, K.Will received a call from the travel platform the next morning and discussed the situation with the representative. The travel platform explained that due to a system issue, the reservation might not have been confirmed with the airline, and according to company policy, a 100% refund was difficult.
Singer K.Will suffered a loss when he was unable to use a flight ticket purchased through a travel platform for a trip to Japan, as the reservation details were not confirmed at the airline check-in counter at Incheon Airport. YouTube capture
K.Will said, "Who would buy a ticket through a travel platform with the possibility that 'the ticket might not be transmitted by mistake'?" He questioned, "I received confirmation texts and emails. They gave the impression that 'the ticket can definitely be secured,' so how does it make sense that a 100% refund is not possible?" The staff responded, "There is an intermediary agency handling the ticket issuance, and the refund process must be completed through the airline system via that agency for a refund to be possible," adding, "We are currently checking the total refund amount, so we cannot confirm a full refund yet. We ask for your understanding." Despite K.Will's continued frustration, the staff was also in a difficult position as they could not provide a definite answer.
Meanwhile, K.Will is not the only one who has suffered such damage. As consumers increasingly book travel products such as airline tickets, hotels, and rental cars through global travel platforms (OTAs), related damages have also been rising. According to data submitted by the Korea Consumer Agency to Ryu Dongsu, a member of the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee from the Democratic Party, a total of 2,110 cases of damage relief applications related to global online travel agencies were received and processed from 2021 to August this year. By type of damage, the most common was contract and cancellation penalty issues, where excessive penalties were imposed when consumers canceled or changed reservations, accounting for 1,073 cases (50.9%). Withdrawal-related damages accounted for 412 cases (19.5%), contract non-fulfillment cases were 300 (14.2%), and damages due to unfair practices were 109 (5.2%). Among these, only 1,083 cases were refunded, which is about half.
The Consumer Agency urged, "To prevent international transaction damages, carefully check seller information, transaction conditions, and whether the site is registered as suspicious before making a transaction. If the damage is not resolved amicably, please seek help from the 'International Transaction Consumer Portal.'"
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