Korean Job Discussion Forums

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

For those who have worked a contract where the employer pays the airfare home after you've finished your contract.

Just curious.. do they always wait until the last minute to book a ticket? My employer is even though now its only 3 weeks away. Do they usually book those things at the very last minute?

The previous employee at my school didn't get his ticket until the day before!! Shocked

Has that been common with others on here as well?

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Yes, it��s usually very close to your last day, if at all.
My first school did it the week before I left, the second did it a month after I finished.

I had told them I was staying in Korea for a while, so they didn't bother to book a ticket. I had to keep bugging them and bugging them until finally they bought the ticket.

I suspected that they wanted me to just give up and go away, but I kept on their case until they bought it.

Be polite, but firm. Wink

Cheers

wylde · Joined: 14 Apr 2003

funny that.. you would think with koreans being as tight as they are with wasting money this would be bought in advance.. i hardly feel that someone is gunna do a runner or quit 10 or 11 months into their contract and still he/she would have the unpaid severance to cover any money wasted.

lets go out tonight and buy a bottle of whiskey for w250,000 but make sure you don't waste 1 piece of paper at school.. there seems to be a mental problem with that

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

Yes, they want to wait as long as possibe. Unfortunately, they sometimes do not see that this costs them more money.

Gollum · Joined: 04 Sep 2003 Location: Japan

Why not tell them you are going to reserve a ticket, and they can pay for that ticket in a few weeks?

They might say, "No, we want to buy it at our place of choice", expecting they can get it cheaper.

At that point, you drop a line, something like, "Please purchase it soon."

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

Yeah, actually I was thinking of calling around and reserving a ticket.

I don't get Korea sometimes. You'd think they'd just make the reservation even if they don't officially book it. The chances of not getting a flight for the day I want seems pretty high. Particularly when waiting until the very last minute.

Ah well, I think I will reserve one just in case and present to them if they can't get what I need.. 25 more days and I'm outta here!!

OiGirl · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: Hoke-y-gun

I have been given a ticket to Incheon (well, Gimpo back in the day, actually) where I had to meet a travel agent in the airport to get my ticket back home.

prairieboy · Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Location: The batcave.

If your E-2 is set to expire before your contract then you need your ticket from Korea to get your visa extended. If you don't have the ticket in time to visit Immigration then you won't get the extension you need and may have to pay fines for overstay when you leave.

Check out your visa expiry date and inform your employer of this.

Cheers

FierceInvalid · Joined: 16 Mar 2003

At the end of my last contract I had to ride them mercilessly to book the ticket. The guy kept giving me progress reports every day when I asked, but had never actually just booked the ticket. I said "Look, do you just want me to do this? I can book a ticket in less than ten minutes." Eventually I got it but it was a bit of a pain in the ring.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

Funny.. everyone has this same frustration.

It is incredible. Its something I can do myself in 5-10 minutes. They'd rather have you stressed out daily about it. I think I'm gonna book a reservation and present it to them.

The guy who will book the ticket is in a different office building from my manager. So it works that I harass my manager, who may or may not harrass the guy who books my ticket. Generally my manager just spends his time trying to quench any concern, ideas, worries, problems by saying 'don't worry about it' as he himself seems to scared to pass along any messages to anyone else.

I've also been discussing a ticket to Spain (instead of home) and I'll pay the difference between the two prices. Have a feeling that waiting until the last minute is going to mess me up somehow or another.

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

In my situation 2 years running I've booked the ticket myself and given him the bill and said give me the money please.

At first they are a little shocked but as they see I've gotten a good deal they get over it pretty quick and give me the money.

I've never waited, i just do it and that way you have the ticket and there is no stress.