Korean Job Discussion Forums

tonyvu · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:31 pm Post subject: GEPIK and airfare

Would they have a problem if i had an itinerary which included leaving my hometown a day early and staying over for the night at a connecting city in the US before heading over to korea? Im planning to come to san francisco via southwest airlines for the night and visit with relatives and then head out to korea with singaporeair the very next day. I found that it was $2 cheaper if i flew that way rather than going direct with singaporeair and fly from my home, stop at San Fran for a couple hours, and then heading off...

Btw, i'll still be able to meet with the co-teacher at the expected date and time.

nate2008 · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Location: Daegu

Technically speaking it's going to be 2 flights right? Not one flight with a day-long layover? If it's technically 2 flights they might try to reimburse you for only the second flight, the one too Korea. In fact I would probably bet on this happening, but maybe somebody else here knows more about this. Just warning ya...

farrepatt · Joined: 27 Jan 2008

My wife had trouble with being reimbursed for her plane ticket (for different reasons - exchange rate) and when she taked to Dain Bae she was told that GEPIK has no official policy and that the schools were free to choose how they wanted to handle her situation. I'd guess you're problem would fall into a similar situation where most school probably would cover the whole trip. But a few might try and be cheap and only cover the last part.

If you can I'd alter the itinerary you give to look like it's all one flight.

PeterDragon · Joined: 15 Feb 2007

You can, under some circumstances, simply ask for the cash equivalent of the ticket. The cash equivalent is whatever quote Korean Air gives your school for a flight to your hometown and back.

At least that's how it went down the last time I tried an alternative airfare arrangement with a GEPIK school.

Check your contract, most of them say they'll directly reimburse airfare or give you the cash equivalent to do everything yourself.

nobbyken · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Location: Yongin ^^

My Gepik school just gave me the price of a ticket from KoreanAir to my country of origin, NOT my hometown (for contract renewal).
Still a sweet 1.9M, which is a little more than cheaper flights to my hometown airport.

tonyvu · Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 1:44 am Post subject:

assuming they pay after i arrive, when GEPIK reimburses you for airfare, is it based on the exchange rate when the ticket was purchased or the rate on the day they actually give you the money?

farrepatt · Joined: 27 Jan 2008

For the exchange rate question, I've experienced it both ways. When I arrived her back in 2007 and the won was moving up against the dollar they paid me the exchange rate on the day they paid reimbursed me. Then when my wife came over this past October they paid her based on the date she bought the ticket (since the won was about 150 lower then).

When we asked GEPIK which policy was the correct one they told us that they don't have an official policy and it's up to the school to decide.

nate2008 · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Location: Daegu

Wait a minute....isn't everybody just getting a flat 1.3million in these new contracts? I thought they were done with the whole reimbursement shenanigans???

tonyvu · Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:33 pm Post subject:

nate, i dont see it anywhere in the contract that states it other than airfare will be reimbursed withint 30 days of employment. once it to that point, i'll let you know what happens...

Otherside · Joined: 06 Sep 2007

ChinaBoy · Joined: 17 Feb 2007

How would a first-time GEPIK teacher go about trying to get a "cash equivalent"?

I asked my recruiter about it but she said I should just go to my home country and then straight back to Korea. I said I'd like to travel in SE Asia first and she ignored the whole cash equivalent thing.

muffintop · Joined: 29 Dec 2008 Location: SK

My contract says "reimbursed" and ten days within departure date of leaving Korea. No set amount..they have the option of purchasing the ticket or reimbursing.

Same thing for the visa run..pay first..then reimburse within 30 days.. GEPIK

sojusucks · Joined: 31 May 2008

dmbfan · Joined: 09 Mar 2006

mickydenn · Joined: 26 Mar 2008

i'd like to get a cash equivalent of my ticket home upon completion of my contract, which is soon.
the contract doesn't seem to offer that, saying "reimbursement" or "direct purchase".

any advice on going about this? if i get a ticket can it be cancelled and refunded by the airline or travel agent?

thanks in advance.