sergent

Not encouraging that nobody has reported actually getting a refund yet. Are they going to go bankrupt? I am not sure what would need to happen for me to be able to be able to do a credit card chargeback.

hurnik

OK this is weird:

I had two bookings with KE
One cash for two tickets. KE cancelled the flight on the weekend and on Monday I went online and requested refund/confirmed cancel (vs. change)
Today the credits showed up on my credit card.

The AWARD ticket I cancelled yesterday no longer shows up online. Still waiting for the points to show up as well.
Maybe it takes a few days? For this ticket, I'm not so worried about 6-8 weeks for the refund of the cash, more worried about the points taking 2 months to show back up.

Anyhow, it seems random that some folks are getting refunds quicker than others?

Maybe it makes a difference if you were able to cancel online vs. call-in?

But just wanted to report a data point for an online cancel and the timeframe for credit/refund for a cash booking.
I'm based in the US. Flight (cash) was MLE to CMB. Award was from CMB to ICN to ORD.

mikesaidyes

i think with KE it absolutely does make a difference where you booked/paid. Processing offices/systems etc affecting times.

givionte

Probably not going bankrupt, the South Korean government is likely to bail them out. But they've cut everything with their business substantially right now, and it seems including staffing for customer service and processing claims.

siw

The refund policy (https://www.koreanair.com/global/en/...2020_03_covid/) has a me confused for my ticket. I booked LHR-ICN-MNL cash-paid non-refundable business class return on 31st January for departure at the end of May. At the time the situation was nowhere near what we have now. The situation still has 2 months have much change further. However, I just want to understand the KE policy some more. Ideally, I want to void the trip as Manila is in lockdown and people in the city cannot venture out even by land. Therefore, my plan to visit pointless.

So far the flights are still scheduled (again that could change). My only option is to choose to cancel the ticket. However, I do not want to lose the value of the ticket. I cannot yet say I have a date to defer a rebooking too. Are KE issuing undated annual vouchers, just like KL etc. are doing? What is KE policy in these cases? I cannot determine from thir hyperlink. Thanks

angra

I'm not an expert on KE, but I'll try to contribute my read.

The actual waiver policies appear to be listed here: https://www.koreanair.com/global/en/...20_01_WUH.html

I think you qualify under section 1, if MNL is in lockdown. It looks like they have a waiver in place for up through June 30, which includes fee-free rebooking. I can't fully decipher whether their waiver of additional fare collect applies to you or not.

I don't see a waiver that allows you to cancel and refund. Reports from others have been that KE is following the posted waivers precisely and not going beyond. So, I don't think you will be able to void the trip at this point.

If KE cancels part of your itinerary, then you should be able to get a refund for the trip. Many airlines are refusing to issue refunds and are instead handing out vouchers for future travel. This is not necessarily legal or defensible but it is what many are doing. Last I checked, KE was still giving out actual refunds for flights that they cancelled, but that can change at any time.

mikesaidyes

They also need to focus on the entry restrictions first. https://www.koreanair.com/global/en/...SA_detail.html

There it say "Philippines - all visa exemption entry is cancelled." This means you cannot get in "visa free" as a tourist, presuming you are a tourist. If you are a citizen, you can still get in and you are not entry restricted. Even if there is quarantine in place, that counts as "entry limited" per the Korean definition (the Korean says "banned OR restricted entry). But the Philippines has no quarantine rules as of right now.

siw

I am just a tourist going on a short holiday. So my holiday would have been without needing a visa. Now, the trip is not worth going on with all the restrictions etc. I do not know what to do about by KE J ticket, which I would like to use at another time - but do not know when that will be.

mikesaidyes

According to the rules - you simply cannot go. You will be refused entry. So you should get a refund 100% no pushback.

Webster023

I have return flights to Korea from the UK booked on June 25th and returning two weeks later for myself, my wife and my mother. Am I right in thinking that we are now eligible to claim a refund or a fee-free date change for the tickets due to the fact that all foreigners who enter the country are now subjected to a 14 day quarantine at a govt facility at their own expense?

That would seem to qualify for "Passengers with entry restrictions due to Covid-19" in section 1 of the Korean Air Ticket Change/Refund guidelines correct?


(1) Passengers with entry restriction regarding COVID-19

1. Passengers with entry restriction regarding novel coronavirus

* Strongly recommended reviewing the latest entry requirements of your destinations.
* The immigration authorities of each country can provide you with more information.

2. Travel Date : ~ June 30, 2020

3. Applicable Charges

• Waiver for refund penalty

• Permission of date/itinerary changes. Reissue penalty shall be waived once. (any fare differences should be collected)
  ※ Aside from entry restrictions, in case of traveling from Philippines, Thailand (issued on/before March 9) reissue penalty shall be waived once.

• Waiver on fare difference
  a. Required reissue to origin ticket destination due to entry restriction (not applied for fully unused ticket)
  b. Denied boarding passengers due to COVID-19 such as registering a higher temperature.
  c. Required reissue due to allowed entry only for the designated airports in the United States.

mikesaidyes

You are correct. There is forced quarantine in Korea now for foreigners. So you can get a free refund. I, as a foreigner living in Korea (subject to slightly different restrictions - self quarantine for me vs FORCED govt facilities for non-residents) - am getting a full refund for my USA trip scheduled 4/23-5/8. 100% refund, no fees at all. I used a local travel agent here, Interpark, but they simply confirmed with KE that I am eligible and I cancelled through them. No clue how long the refund will take (in Korea to my Korean card), but will keep pposted.

siw

Do you know how I can go about getting a refund? This might seem like a stupid question, but I am asking for the following reasons:

• I had a Lufthansa intra-europe ticket booked last year. That was supposed to depart yesterday but I found out about 2 weeks ago that it was cancelled. Since then I completed the LH refund but got a change of resveration email instead. Cannot get through on any phone line to speak to LH. Have requested an AMEX UK dispute/chargeback. Still waiting for it.
• I have a KLM long haul ticket booked just after Christmas. This is supposed to depart this coming weekend but KLM have cancelled the intra-Europe flights. KLM refuse to issue refunds, only vouchers. I raised an AMEX UK dispute/chargeback. Then KLM rebooked me on flights, so technically I can fly as far as KLM are concerned. However, government restriction do not allow me to enter the destination country. I cancelled the dispute as I will loose since KLM will say I am on their flights.
• I have a few Thai Air Asia domestic tickets booked last year. They do not have a customer service anymore and can only contact via an online chatbot. Impossible to get a refund. Can only get restricted vouchers.

My KE ticket is by far the most expensive of my tickets. My previous interaction with KE has found them to be the most inflexible airline. So fully expect them to do nothing as my ticket is non-refundable and I cannot see anything about vocuhers - which I do not want. Just because the destination country has banned incoming non-citizens I assume KE will not say that is a reason for them to refund me. As far as KE are concerned, just like KL above, I can fly to the destination country and sit in the airport until the return flight, a week or so later. KE will say I can just go through the flight transfer channel and stay airside and that they have fulfilled their side on the contract (i.e. I paid money and KE transported me).

angra

I don't think you're going to get a free refund unless the waiver policy says so or they cancel your flight. The waivers seem to allow a good degree of flexibility but not a refund, unless I'm missing something.

Loren Pechtel

Some weeks ago they changed a LAS-ICN flight to LAX-ICN on me. They wanted me to reschedule but agreed to a refund--but said 2-4 weeks. The flight disappeared off my schedule immediately, it's been a bit over 4 weeks and a refund hasn't shown up yet.

mikesaidyes

You're overthinking this. They will allow you to refund. You have a restriction that is affecting your flight. That's it. It's very simple. Korean Air doesn't give vouchers. It's either refund or change the date.

You can only refund it through the channel which you booked it.

As a reference:

I am an American living in Korea. The US has no ban on Korea yet. There is no "self quarantine or anything like that in America as of now. In Korea, they require all incoming residents to quarantine at home. Technically, this means I am allowed in both countries. HOWEVER they gave me a full refund. You are absolutely 100% banned from entering the Philippines, of course they'll give you a refund.