Consumer complaints over air travel services are mounting as demand for overseas trips climbs ahead of the Chuseok holiday. Travelers who buy tickets through travel agencies or global online travel agencies (OTAs) face particular risk, because canceling can trigger agency handling fees for ticketing and refunds on top of the airline's own charges.
The Korea Consumer Agency and the Fair Trade Commission issued a consumer alert on the 14th, saying they expect complaints tied to air travel services to rise as holiday demand grows. Over the past three years, from 2023 through 2025, the two agencies received 7,438 requests for redress involving air services.
Filings rose from 1,705 in 2023 to 2,532 in 2024 and 3,201 last year, an average annual increase of 37.0%. Over the same period, the number of Koreans traveling abroad grew from 22.71 million in 2023 to 29.55 million last year, an average annual gain of 14.1%. Redress filings, in other words, climbed far faster than outbound travel.
Consumer inquiries followed the same path. Air service inquiries totaled 8,737 in 2023, rising to 11,085 in 2024 and 14,739 last year, for a three-year total of 34,561.
Canceled Ticket, 770,000 Won in Fees
The most common problems arose when travelers canceled or changed a ticket. Of the redress requests filed over the past three years, 4,341 cases, or 58.4% of the total, involved contract cancellation, including refusals to cancel or terminate a contract or to honor withdrawal requests, and excessive cancellation fees. Non-performance of contract, such as flight cancellations and delays, accounted for 2,020 cases (27.2%), followed by unfair practices at 394 (5.3%) and quality or after-sales service at 281 (3.8%).
In one case last October, a traveler identified as A bought seven round-trip tickets between Incheon and Da Nang through a travel agency for 2.918 million won, then canceled five days later. The agency charged 30,000 won per person in its own cancellation fee and 80,000 won per person in airline cancellation fees. A paid 770,000 won in fees in total.
Such charges arise when tickets are bought through travel agencies or OTAs. Buying directly from an airline can mean no online ticketing fee, or a waiver if the ticket is canceled the same day it is issued. Booking through an agency or OTA, by contrast, can add handling fees for ticketing, changes and refunds on top of the airline's charges.
From Cancellations to Damaged Bags
Flight cancellations and delays remain another source of complaints. Last December, a traveler identified as B waited four hours on board an Incheon-Da Nang flight because of an aircraft defect before it departed late. The passenger later sought compensation, but the airline refused, saying the inspection had been carried out for safe operation.
Compensation for cancellations and delays can be hard to obtain when the airline is not at fault, such as in cases of bad weather, airport conditions or connecting-aircraft schedules. Some travel insurance policies cover meals or lodging costs caused by flight delays, so travelers should check the scope of coverage before buying.
Problems with checked baggage also persisted. Among 131 major baggage complaints filed last year, bags and suitcases accounted for 98, golf clubs for 12 and other items for 21. By type, damage was the most common at 103 cases, followed by delays at 16 and losses at 12.
Last June, a traveler identified as C checked a suitcase and found it damaged when retrieving it. The airline rejected a compensation claim, saying minor damage such as ordinary scratches or wear that does not impair the suitcase's function is not eligible.
Misspelled Names Also a Risk
Some disputes stemmed from errors in entering passengers' names in English during booking. In September last year, a traveler identified as D bought three round-trip tickets between Incheon and Istanbul through a global OTA for 2,185,400 won, then discovered that one passenger's name had been misspelled. Although the airline's terms allow spelling corrections, the agency refused to make the change.
The Korea Consumer Agency and the FTC urged travelers to check entry and exit rules for their destinations and transit points, along with cancellation and change terms at each point of sale, before buying a ticket. Those using a travel agency or OTA should also confirm any ticketing, cancellation and change fees charged separately from the airline's own.
After buying a ticket, travelers should recheck booking details including passengers' names in English and passport information, and confirm that valid contact numbers for the actual passengers are registered with both the seller and the airline. Before departure, it is advisable to reconfirm whether the flight schedule has changed and to verify the departure time.
If checked baggage is damaged, lost or delayed, travelers should report it immediately at the airline's desk in the airport and obtain a written confirmation. Items prone to damage, such as golf clubs, are best packed in dedicated hard cases.
