Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sojourner1]

I waited since I was waiting for my 1st paycheck and flight reimbursement, find the only flights out of Korea are on wait list status, and are a quite over priced with the exorbitant taxes.

You could take the ferry to Japan, but the costs will eat you alive when it comes to train and hotel services and you'll have to contend with a fast paced crush of people. You could take the ferry to China, but China is fully booked, particularly with Beijing Olympics going on during August. Hotels would probably be a hurdle there. Not only will people be going in and out of Beijing, but they will be circulating to tour other cities such as Shanghai and Tokyo among many others in NE Asia. I've just never seen a situation of too much tourism to the point of not being able to get flights and hotels unless paying boatloads of money. Not even in Europe was it this bad as they can accommodate the extra inflow of Summer holiday tourists. SE Asia has plenty of airlines and flights to accommodate tourism, but not Korea due to artificial limitations placed that says what airlines can enter this market. You'd never have such limited options in the Americas either, but you got to be able to get far out of Korea to have access to enjoy anything else. That's the kicker.

I got a quote through Bangkok air from Fukuoka to Bangkok round trip of $3,600 US or 368,000 yen so that goes to show that flights out of Japan are even more crazy expensive.

I must add that Korea is one boring place if you're stuck there wanting to see other parts of the world while taking vacation. If I had it my way, I'd just take all my vacation time in the Winter when flights are actually available as Koreans and Japanese are vacationing and no increase of air service is extended to support the increased demand. Sound dumb? It sure is...

I won't buy a wait listed flight in high season as that's all they offer. Yep, it's an over booked flight you probably will not get on, leaving you stranded. It don't have to be like this if they simply would increase service frequency as to accommodate everyone trying to go. It's insane when teachers who have been here several years are buying their Summer vacation flights in April. Yes, I said an early April, not June or July.

[R-Seoul]

Try flying to BKK via Taiwan, if memory serves it's only a short stopover with Thai air.

[sojourner1]

[Join Me]

Yeh, the Korean airline industry is one more home grown industry that is screwing Koreans wildly up the bum. The problem is though...Koreans love paying for their seat on their beloved overpriced Korean Air. Koreans will argue with the check out person every time I am at the market over some perceived error on their receipt (never a mistake though) but they let Samsung, Korean Air and all the rest of the screw them out of tons of hard earned cash. Pretty crappy we have to get it in the process.

This is exactly why I stayed in Korea for this vacation. I knew with the price of oil Korea's airlines were really going to stick it to their beloved consumers this year. No thanks.

[Tiger Beer]

[sojourner1]

[bossface]

I don't know, I just looked at BKK and Phuket on Asiana, and both are wide open during my vacation (last week of August.) And, for what pass as "good prices" these days - 650-700.

What drives my nuts about Asiana (and maybe KE too, but I never look at them since their website is terrible) is the fact that it costs 120 more to take a trip thats between 8 and 15 days long than it does to take a 7 day or less trip. What's with that? Fuel prices are the same either way, yeah? Plus, OZ milks this by running all of their ICN-bound red-eye flights between midnight and 1. So, if one were to theoretically take a trip on Saturday night (8 or 9 pm) to Ho Chi Mihn, you would have to fly back the next saturday to qualify for the 7 day fare, and the only Ho Chi Mihn-ICN flight on Asiana leaves at 12:05 am (ie, really Friday night) resulting in a trip that's really six days. Fly back Sat night (Sunday 12:05 am) and it's an extra 120 bones.

[mises]

[sojourner1]

Yep, no seat available is what Asiana site is telling me. This airline industry is pure crap here while I'm getting legitimate emails from American travel sites telling me of all the great deals such as RT domestic for as low as $122. That's from my home city I left to go to Korea. Yes, at home you can fly away for a reasonable price if you want regardless of what time it is or if it's on short notice.

I don't get what's going on in NE Asia with there not being enough of anything for sale which includes flights, merchandise, food, services, etc. It's ridiculously limited selection of everything.

[moosehead]

my travel agent just emailed me a price for Seoul - Bankok - Vientienne RT 760 plus tax

I emailed back about tax and am waiting to hear from him

I paid 700 last summer for RT to Bangkok - this sounds reasonable - I'd like to hear what others say

bt it would be leaving in about 10 days and returning last week of aug

[spliff]

Tax will be close to 300,000.

[Gamecock]

What is SUPER annoying about travel during Korean holidays and "high" seasons is that the travel agents will tell you the flight is sold out and impossible to get...BUT THEY"RE REALLY NOT!

For the holiday last May I bought a ticket well in advance to the Phlippines, but then my buddy found out he had extra time off and wanted to join me on my trip, about 2 weeks before the holiday. We went to about 10 travel agents as well as talking to all the airlines directly and were told it was impossible, the flights were SOLD OUT, that therwe were ABSOLUTELY NO SEATS FROM KOREA TO THE PHILIPPINES FOR THIS TIMEFRAME! So I went alone and my buddy stayed in Korea for the holiday. On the day of my departure I get on my flight and it's only 1/3 full! The return flight was only about 1/2 full as well. WTF?

I've experienced this more than once with Korean airlines. There website will say there are no coach seats, but the cabin will be half empty. I can't explain it. As well, i've gone to travel agents who assure me the flight is full, only to go to their competition next door and buy the exact same ticket. It's because all these travel agents get their tickets through different consolidators, so they only have what is available through THEIR supplier.

[moosehead]

[DCJames]

[sojourner1]