None at all. I'm sure they're still planning on it because the new "bad" rates help them a lot haha. But I haven't see anything in Korean news about civil complaint by consumers either....

Sent an email to Korean Air customer care regarding any news on extension.

Nothing in the news STILL for any update at all or "rumor," literally the last thing that comes up on NAVER News is the baggage tracking feature in their app. I also didn't take time to dig into like the industry blogs or anything, just simple news search.

Any news? I tried searching around but the only things that pop up are the "new" credit cards, people complaining about mileage expiry and posts from last year explaining the changes... gonna have to burn my miles soon but feels like a waste to spend them now

Nothing like I said in my NAVER searches, BUT I hit the magic 125,000 miles recently too - so I'm gonna buy a ticket biz class to Atlanta for like Fall 2021 haha as far out as I can to burn them and be done with it! I don't mind getting a full refund for -3,000 miles before April 2021.

I feel like they totally would continue on with this plan because it helps them save on redemptions and things haha. But who knows!

Sad, I put up with the old fashioned way of doing things at KE because redemptions were good and transiting in ICN fit right into my travel patterns. But lack of useful non skyteam partners and devalued FFP mean I have little reason to stay. I've been a loyal customer since my Skypass Junior days and would have eventually become Morning Calm Premium flying almost exclusively in economy.

Oh well, guess I did well to jump ship when I could....

When Korean releases the new elite levels will they keep the requirement that most of the miles be flown on Korean? We Asiana people are now interested in knowing about all of this.

And also, what's the new "threshold" for the portion that can be used on credit cards with KE partnership? That's another way to reduce the burden of having to fly on KE metal.

KE was supposed to start rolling out its cash & miles options this month, but I haven't seen that yet.

“Cash and miles” payment option for flight tickets to be introduced for a test-run period from November 2020.

So does that mean I can qualify for their new status levels starting in 2021, and I will get the benefits starting Feb 2022? Or earning for the new status levels begins Feb 2022, meaning starting in February 2022 I would need to start the clock on flying?

If I book a ticket before 4/1/21 under the existing award chart for a flight in late 2021 or early 2022, would any changes to that ticket (made after 4/1/21) be subject to re-pricing under the new award chart? I’m assuming that the ticket would still be governed under the ticketing rules at the time of booking (only a cash charge of 30,000 KRW for any changes), but just want to make sure I don’t get stuck with the unpleasant surprise of needing more miles for the same itinerary.

I was on the phone with a KE agent today and asked him your question. He said he has received no direction from the company on how it will work, but in the past, award ticket changes have been repriced to the new ticket price. I guess we will wait and see.

That's what I would expect as well. So what I would do is - book now as far out as you can. Then in April, judging by Corona situation which probably won't even be any better - re-book as far out as you can again.

Thanks for the responses. According to this post from Fly with Moxie (and Google Translate), it appears that you would be able to preserve pre-devaluation pricing for the return segment of a roundtrip award ticket (if you had to change it after April 2021), but that's not necessarily the case for one-way award tickets. It appears that you might be able to keep a one-way award ticket at the old pricing if you are just rescheduling dates, but any reissuance of the ticket post-April would fall under the new award chart.

I wish Korean Air would postpone these changes altogether with COVID-19 still raging on throughout the world and its impending merger with Asiana!

And with F inventory blocked until EOY its really not helping.

But for them, they really have no incentive to delay this. They have their captive audience, they're about to get a whole lot more from OZ. Of course, some will be lost along the way bit the savings for them must greatly outweigh the costs unfortunately.

May I ask, what's the source for this statement?
When I last checked, JFK and LAX were still being shown as available (and these are currently the only F routes).

This may be certain routes?
I checked (award tickets only) JFK -ICN, ORD - ICN, ATL-ICN (and vice versa) for the entire month of Nov. 2021, and a few dates in October 2021. Not a single F award seat available. Either you get the "no seats available" or "first not offered". J seats, yes.

I did not check cash bookings or other routes or round trips.

Ya, all of these routes are generally not open in F. Only LAX and JFK are currently being served with F service (independent of payment form).

There was a statement on the website which pointed this out, but I can't find it anymore.

Do we know what KE plans on doing with F cabins for planes that are operating them but don't have F fares for sale (77W)? Run them empty or upgrade elite members (with Prestige-level service)? I'm assuming that it's more likely an equipment swap will happen to a plane with no F in them, but just curious how they will plan on dealing with that? I'm looking at SFO-ICN and they will have 77Ws operating later this year (November), but no First Class is available and I'd bet they'd just revert to 787-9 if First Class and overall ticket sales don't return closer to normal by then.

As Digicola said, I think KE will just run out the clock on this. If F cabins are reinstated to more destinations beyond LAX or JFK, they can just open them up for award inventory post-devaluation after April, while the rest of us who are trying to book at pre-devaluation rates will be out of luck.

Chosun Ilbo just reported that KE will delay the devaluation! They did not announce a new timeline, but it appears that enough Skypass members complained about the major program change happening during the middle of the pandemic.

https://flywithmoxie.com/2021/01/05/...m-devaluation/

Great news, just hope it holds true and they still give us a 6-12 month period to make bookings, once flights resume on regular schedules.

More good news coming out through the Korean press - apparently the change in mileage redemption rates and earnings will be delayed for an additional 2 years until April 1, 2023. I wonder if it’s related to the Asiana acquisition, but this is great for all those with Skypass balances to burn.

Two more timing changes - the change in elite qualifications will be delayed until Feb 2024, and expiring mileage balances in 2021 will be extended one year into 2022.

Genuinely surprised by this news. I'm glad we're finally getting some good news. I was hoping to get in one last return trip between Singapore and Korea/Japan in F, this might be enough to make that come true.

Glad that they're delaying the changes, although I don't forsee F returning (if ever) until maybe 2023 anyway. But I'll happily be wrong.

While I haven't checked recently, based on reading some of this thread, I'm assuming it's more or less futile to search for F tpac redemptions? Does this delay pushback the more than 24 hour stopover for redemptions?

Thanks.

Looks like they changed their site too

So did their app. It actually looks functional now.

About time! KE needed serious updates

Korean FTC orders KE to correct unfair practices in Skypass devaluation
 

As reported before, in early 2020 the Korean Fair Trade Commission expressed concern that the Skypass devaluation was an unfair practice and recommended that Korean Air address the matter (this has no legal power, but it is very unusual for companies to ignore such recommendations). Unlike courts in the U.S., the KFTC has an established precedent that miles constitute monetary rights -- a form of currency owned by the customers who hold them (and not by the airlines or the issuers of the miles). In May 2020, KE re-submitted an unrevised plan to the KFTC, ignoring all recommendations, and bulldozed ahead with their devaluation plan. This triggered an escalation where the KFTC launched a proper full-fledged investigation of the new terms and conditions.

Now the situation has changed. KE needs to be in the good graces of the KFTC because KE needs the KFTC to approve its merger with Asiana. KE attempted to circumvent this problem by delaying the devaluation by 2 years (so that the KE-OZ merger would be safely settled by the time KE goes to war with the KFTC over Skypass devaluations), but the KFTC said no dice. The KE-OZ merger and the Skypass devaluation are separate independent matters, but the KFTC has stated that guaranteeing fair financial value for customers in the mileage program(s) is part of their antitrust considerations in the KE-OZ merger, and that they want changes in the Skypass program to be settled with terms that are fair to consumers prior to any conclusive evaluation of the effects of the KE-OZ merger on consumer rights.

As such, after a year of investigation, the KFTC is now ordering KE to correct what the KFTC deems unfair practices in the Skypass devaluation. Again, this is not legally binding, and KE can refuse, but then the KFTC can take KE to the courts. KE likely wants to avoid such confrontations at all costs. KE is continuing to plead their case that they have not in fact devaluated customers' financial rights, but has pledged to work with the KFTC's process. The necessary adjustments to the new Skypass terms and conditions are to be finalized by March.

News report in Korean: https://news.mt.co.kr/mtview.php?no=2021012918303626553

https://www.koreanair.com/us/en/foot...5-mcextension#

Can someone clarify this 1yr "extension"? Didn't they already extend qualification for another 6mo?

I can confirm that morning calm qualification period has been extended another year.

Yes and you get it only on your expiration of your current morning calm period

like mine just expired end of April

And I got TWO YEARS for actually hitting morning calm (before Rona before my period was up)

And then the extra year

So I'm good until April 2024

Korean Fair Trade Commission bans unfavorable changes in SkyPass for 10 years
 

https://www-yna-co-kr.translate.goog...ko&_x_tr_tl=en (This is Korea's equivalent of Associated Press)

As a precondition for approving the KE-OZ merger, the KFTC has banned changes in the SkyPass program that is deemed unfavorable to customers relative to the policy in effect at the end of 2019 at the two airlines. This restriction is valid for 10 years starting from the date of completion of the KE-OZ merger (the date on which KE completes the acquisition of OZ stock). Furthermore, any scheme for converting OZ miles to KE miles during the merger is subject to KFTC approval. The quality of service may also not be reduced, including seat pitch, free in-flight meals, free checked luggage, and lounge access.

It's not evident from this article, but KE's stance (according to statements issued to other outlets) is basically that they are complaining about the 10-year restriction on SkyPass changes on the basis of customer benefits (yeah, sure) and global competitiveness (obviously), but they are overall accepting the KFTC's ruling (and planning to negotiate the implementation details with KFTC behind the scenes) because it's the only way the KE-OZ will be allowed to move forward. They probably want this to be a done deal before the next administration (Korea is just a couple weeks away from the next presidential election).

Korean Air plans to ignore the KFTC's order
 

According to a source, Korean Air is planning to force its way through the Skypass devaluation, ignoring the KFTC's conditional approval of the KE-OZ merger that bans unfavorable changes for 10 years. The hope is that the KFTC will not do anything to enforce their decision, especially under the new conservative government that does not care about consumer protections. Everyone should burn their miles ASAP before the devaluation.

I just logged in and see they have new "zone" charts from April 2023. That sucks.

Korean Air folds under pressure from government
 

Facing harsh criticism from two ministers, KE has indefinitely delayed the impending devaluation and will spend the next few months coming up with an "improved" new Skypass plan. According to industry insiders, it will likely keep the distance-based redemption structure but will tone down the devaluation of existing miles. Since they were claiming to offset the devaluation by awarding bonus miles to elites and high revenue passengers in the previously announced "New Skypass" plan, my personal guess is that they will have to reduce the mileage accrual rate across the board in order to match a lower redemption rate, but existing miles will not be devalued as badly.

Article in Korean: https://www.chosun.com/economy/indus...FGLPMJQQHKMPE/

But no word on Korean bringing back million miler program right?

Well, the entire "New Skypass" program has been scrapped, so until they announce what new reforms will replace it (my understanding is that they are trying hard to find some careful balance that can pass muster with the populist politicians and regulatory officials pressuring them), the million miler system remains exactly as it was under the legacy Skypass program. For what it's worth, even if the "New Skypass" program had gone into effect as planned, all existing Morning Calm Premium and Million Miler statuses (achieved by the end of 2024) were going to be grandfathered as lifetime Gold and Platinum respectively under the new program, and whatever replaces this now-scrapped reform cannot be worse, so I presume we can safely assume a similar level of grandfathering as long as the statuses are reached within the next couple of years.

KE Skypass program future
 

KE Skypass program , whats the future of it ?

A few years ago, KE was going to revamp it and do away with lifetime qualifications.
But the old/current program is still going on...

KE still going to kill off the old/current program?

There haven't been any new posts in the past six months, but this is the thread you need:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/kore...m-changes.html