Deceptive advertising
 

I purchased a business class ticket (JFK-ICN) one week prior to departure date (Jan 8 '15) when the price was full. The only reason I purchased Korean Air over Asiana was because of their newer flights, A380, advertised to service JFK and ICN, regardless of all the controversies with the "Peanut" and "Bobby Kim" incidents. However, my returning flight (Feb 2 '15) changed to old 777 aircraft without any notification. I called Korean Air customer service on Feb 1 to confirm my seat, and checked on the Korean Air website on the day of departure and confirmed that there was NO CHANGE. However, when I arrived at the airport, Korean Air agent told me that the aircraft changed to something other than A380 on Jan 29. I confronted that why I was not notified and their customer service confirmed my seat yesterday over the phone and their website still shows A380. They said that they are sorry and their MANUAL says not to compensate anything in this case. I was furious and demanded them to upgrade to first class, but they refused.

Long story short, here are the facts:
1. DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING: Korean Air advertises all over the world that they service JFK ICN with their newer aircraft, A380. NOT!!! I was on an old smelly 777 with NO LOUNGE, BAR in the business class. A380 WAS THE ONLY REASON I CHOSE OVER ASIANA!!
2. USELESS WEBSITE: Koran Air website showed A380 on the day of the departure. WHAT A JOKE!!
3. STUPID MANUAL: NO UPGRADE for swapping a BMW with Hyundai with no notificaions???

Good for them. Why on Earth would you expect an upgrade to F because of an equipment change? :rolleyes:

Really weird, because according to this link, they must have known it by Jan 29th. KE IT system is undoubtedly one of the worst. The link is from a travel agency website based in Georgia.

http://gatour.com/store/view.asp?tab...8564&FileName=

KE rarely compensate for anything in any case, so don't expect much. You'll get a very sincere and polite apology, but that's pretty much it. At least you've got the same seat (wasn't it 77W?) albeit no bar. Sorry for your experience.

No airline compensates you for an equipment change. Also, you didn't get the lounge and bar, but you got the exact same style of seat and service, so it really didn't change that much. And I highly doubt the 777 was old and smelly. Just a wild hunch.

My point is that I did not get the product/service purchased, according to Korean Air's advertisement which is specific to aircraft model, A380 for ICN JFK routes without any disclaimer on "Equipment Change." Clearly, such advertisement is indeed deceptive. I would have purchased Asiana in a hear beat if it wasn't for A380.

Also, my request for an upgrade was reasonable, considering the fact that both online and offline Korean Air system provided wrong information. I checked every possible ways to confirm my purchase:

Departure Date:2/2/15 from ICN to JFK.
-I called customer service and confirmed my seat on 2/1/15.
-I confirmed the aircraft and my reservation online, 2/2/15, before leaving to the airport.
-Upon arrival to the check-in, I was told that the plane changed on 1/29/15.

How would you feel if this happened to you?

I thought this forum was for consumers, not the airline company advocates.

I do understand your frustration. You have all the rights to complaint and KE clearly has a fault not updating you for the equipment change although you specifically asked twice. You could have changed your schedule if you were informed before leaving for the airport. 380 experience was clearly your top priority and KE just have ignored it. Although hardware of seat itself is the same, 77W and 380 business class is obviously different as KE advertised multiple times on TV.

It's just that KE is not one of those US airliners who distribute out miles or voucher like candy. You'll get a long email saying sorry multiple times and hear a promise that it won't happen again, but you will probably get nothing. If that's the case, why don't you contact DOT afterwards.

You should read the contract of carriage. I bet there is something in there protecting KE for this instance.

Wouldn't bother me at all. When I travel, I'm doing it to go somewhere, not to fly on a specific type of plane.

Welcome to FT!

Equipment changes do happen from time to time due to aircraft maintenance issues or what not. Most people on FlyerTalk are seasoned flyers and so they recognize that issues do come up.

Aside from that, a simple check next time on the inbound flight from ICN to JFK will let you know if there was an equipment change. For JFK there is KE81/82 and KE 85/86. Additionally, if I were in your shoes and I really wanted the A380, I would have demanded a change to the other flight since KE has two A380 flights a day from JFK (one around 2 PM and the other around 12:40 AM).

Also, I don't see this as deceptive advertising. KE probably also doesn't put a disclaimer saying flight could be cancelled due to inclement weather such as when NYC had the impending doomsday snowstorm that never actually happened.

Anyhow, while many on FT would understand your frustration, most FTers will just tell you the cold hard truth. It doesn't mean we're advocating for the company; merely giving you what we think is the reality of the situation.

When the daughter of Korean Air turns the plane around over peanuts, an honest consumer can't complain on not getting the plane he paid for??

Firstly, Korean Air doesn't have any children. ;)

Secondly, there's nothing at all to stop you complaining. That's your right (and isn't affected at all by any nut incidents on flights you weren't travelling on).

Thirdly, I suspect that most people here can fully understand someone being disappointed by this equipment change but that few of us would think it worth getting seriously upset or even angry about. What you paid for was business class travel from A to B (and back). The company delivered that.

Fourthly, your point is made weaker rather than stronger by the use of "smelly", "USELESS", "WHAT A JOKE!!" and "STUPID".

My understanding is that the aircraft did not turn around or anything like that. it simply was pushed back a few feet from the dock by a tug and then the tug pulled them a few feet to the dock. No passengers were inconvenienced very much.The CEO was fired for a relatively innocent mistake. What would you have had Korean do, burn her at the stake? Something like that would have never been a firing offense on an American airline. Possibly a reprimand.

You seem to have a slight narcissistic complex, my friend. But of course, you're flying Business Class and are probably one of those entitlement people anyway. ;)

Firstly, I don't think you are aware of the infamous recent incident with Cho Hyun-a, daughter of KE CEO, Cho Yang-ho, who turned the plane around because she did not like the way the attendant served her peanuts. That is a childish act.

Secondly, I thank you for hearing me out and I hope you are entertained.

Thirdly, I paid for a specific plane which KE advertised to service. Again, I would have purchased a business class ticket at a discount from Asiana if it wasn't for A380.

Fourthly, KE website did not update equipment change on the day of the departure, even an hour before the departure when the change was made a week before. I do think it deserves the words "stupid, useless, joke." I do admit that "smelly" was tad bit pushy, but the plane was that much disappointing compared to A380.

If you mean the macadamia nuts, I think the incident was mentioned somewhere on the internet. ;) It certainly wasn't good publicity for KE -- but it has nothing at all to do with your complaint.

Again, even though you did not technically pay to travel on a specific plane, it's easy to understand your disappointment. Many of us have experienced something similar. But you'll probably be happier if you can chalk it up to experience, accept that on the scale of life's problems it's fairly minor, and move on.

Grumpy Gus!

The 77W is a great aircraft in the KE fleet.