Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wayfarer]

I'm in the process of choosing one-way flight to reserve; my school will then purchase the tickets.

With the travel agents I've visited, there's a flight with two stopovers for 1.1 mil. There's another flight with no stopovers for 1.7 mil. The 1.7mil flight also arrives at my destination a little earlier and is 2 hours shorter, which I like.

1.7 is at the higher end of the scale, I'm sure. I'm just wondering if anyone at GEPIK or a public school has been told to find a cheaper flight because the one they've chosen is too expensive? What usually happens in this situation?

[Otherside]

1.7 for a 1 way flight is obscene!
I recently paid 1.3mil for a return flight from ICN to Johannesburg (which is terms of distance is even longer than a ICN-JFK flight).

If you don't mind me asking what is your destination?

Anyways, back on topic. The contract states that the school will pay for the cheapest DIRECT flight to your destination. In your case that is the 1.7mill flight. So tell the school this is the flight you want, and if they have a problem, they are welcome to find a cheaper direct flight themselves.

For reasons like this, GEPIK should also implement the entry/exit allowance system like GEPIK. It would save them money on obscene flights such as yours, and would allow many of us to benefit (yourself included - if you had the option of the direct flight, or the 2 stopover flight + 200K in your pocket, you'd most likely choose the 2 stopover flight).

[wayfarer]

Are they really obliged to buy me a direct flight? That would be lovely if it's true, but I just looked at my GEPIK contract and only in clause 4 of Article 9 does it mention that they have to find the most direct flight; and that clause is only for renewing teachers.

I'm NOT renewing with GEPIK, and down in clause 7, it simply says, "If Employee completes the Term of Employment without the intention to renew and leaves Korea within 10 days from the expiration date, Employer shall provide the airfar for Employee's one way return flight to the employee's home country either in the form of reimbursement or direct purchase."

That's a little vague; no mention of direct flights, but also no mention of cheapest available flights... hmm...

[Otherside]

Read article 5.

Article 5(Airfare and Resignation)
1.The actual purchasing price of the airfare for Employee�s flight to Korea shall be reimbursed by Employer within a month (30 days) upon working at the school based on the economy class of the most direct flight available from Employee�s residence to the Incheon International Airport in Korea.
a. Employee from outside of Korea: A one-way ticket to Korea will be reimbursed within a month (30 days) from working at the school. Upon completion of Contract, one-way trip to the airport of return for either his/her home country or another country of shorter distance will be provided when the trip occurs within the first 10 days as of termination of employment.

That basically says it. I admit it only mentions it for the flight TO korea, but i'd say it can be reasonably assumed (meaning, they'll probably shaft you )

[wayfarer]

Hmm...

This school wants me to pointlessly come in on my final day, even though it's a Monday and it would have been much more sensible to let me leave on the preceding Saturday and arrive home on a weekend. So I don't feel terribly bad about getting an expensive flight. This will be interesting.

[Big Mac]

I'm not GEPIK, but my province uses the GEPIK contract. They told me that any flight is fine, as long as it is under 2 million won. They actually encouraged me to book the most direct flight available within that price range, and I did. I think mine was about 1.5 million won for Ottawa-Toronto-Incheon. I don't think they're going to give you a hard time.

[Countrygirl]

[wayfarer]

[Countrygirl]