Korean Job Discussion Forums

Canucksaram · Joined: 29 Apr 2003

Anybody ever just show up at the airport and ask to be put on a "waiting list" for a seat on what should be an otherwise "sold out" flight? Would the cost for the flight be cheaper than normal because airlines prefer to fly with full seats than with empty ones?

I recall reading something like this in a Lonely Planet book, or perhaps online. I'm curious if anybody's tried to fly like this.

I'd rather not pay 700,000 won for my vacation air ticket. Since I've got some time, I figured I could wait for a seat to open up . . .

peppermint · Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:56 pm Post subject:

Tried it, and while it can work fairly well sometimes, it doesnt fly at all here.

PolyChronic Time Girl · Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Location: Korea Exited

If you're flying in the peak season (July, August), it's unlikely that there will be room.

Did you get 700,000 won roundtrip quoted? Where? You're lucky. My one-way trip to L.A for August is costing my 1.3 million won. Evil or Very Mad

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

hypnotist · Joined: 04 Dec 2004 Location: I wish I were a sock

Tried it, ended up paying around the same as if I'd booked in a normal airline travel office first. Was a nice adventure but I wouldn't recommend it.

I wrote about it somewhere or other on this site.

thewhat · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Seoul suburbs

Are you peoplw saying you cannot fly standby from Korea?

This is, as of now, my plan to escape this heep.

You can fly standby anywhere in the world, but korea is a strangeee place.

Anyone have "for sure" information about this?

K-in-C · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Location: Heading somewhere

Canucksaram · Joined: 29 Apr 2003

Good time for a follow-up.

I was told, by the sole "Star Alliance" airways employee on hand that (and I'm paraphrasing), "Umm...yeah, I heard that in America you can do that, but not in Asia."

She was right.

But . . . ha, ha, ha . . . she did tell me that IN Incheon International Airport, near the Star Alliance/Thai Airways/Singapore Airways booths, there is a medley of travel agent "booths" (basically, a two-person table staffed by two or three persons) where you can get "cheap" tickets.

Just make sure to have the latest edition of the Korea Herald in your hands, and/or the latest prices from the Top Travel website (www.toptravel.co.kr; it helps if you can read basic Korean to navigate), and you're good to go.

I got a last-minute standby flight to Thailand for 400,000 one way (this is during the Korean "vacation high season") all-up, and I was happy. I was told to "check in" after 8:00 PM and by 8:10 PM I had a confirmed seat. I even met an old coworker and her S/O while in the airport, same flight, and they paid about 780,000 round-trip.

And hey, didja know, Bangkok is one of the cheapest places to fly out of? All in all, I got an "at par" deal; no savings, alas.

Cheers,

-Canucksaram

fidel · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Location: North Shore NZ

I don't know if this helps but at Incheon, next to the Asiana check-in counters, is a counter with a prominent sign that says STANDBY in capital letters. It sort of lends itself to the possibility that standby is possible...

Swiss James · Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Location: Shanghai

From what I can tell, in North America you can put yourself on a standby list for a destination and hang around the airport until a flight going there has seats available. I'm guessing this is either cheaper, or a last ditch effort to get a seat.

Here I think you can be put on standby for a specific flight- I know pilots wives who do this and then show up to the airport when trying to get onto flights that are full and have been offered the option when trying to get on a full flight (chose another option so I don't know when they tell you if you've got a seat or not).