Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Stephen Ireland]

Is there anything more annoying than the rip-off flights from/to Korea?

In Europe flights are 30/40 Euro from/to most countries, (depending on peek season), but in Korea flights are ridulous.

And it's not just during peak season. Flights to Jeju (and don't get me started on flights to SE Asia) are MINIMUM 70,000 return..that just seems crazy to me.

Anyone have anything to add then feel free to vent!

[Binch Lover]

I agree with you about international flights, especially to Japan and China. Those are outrageous for the distance. Flights to the Philippines are available for about 300,000 to 400,000 with Cebu Pacific and I heard there are cheap flights to Bangkok with a new airline this year. Also, rumours of Air Asia X coming. But if you think about the distances involved, the prices aren't that ridiculous. The Philippines are 4 hours away, which is the same as from Ireland to Greece. Other areas of SE Asia are more than 6 hours. How much is a flight to the Gulf countries these days from Western Europe?

Also, I think 70,000 to Jeju is very reasonable. That's only 47 euro. Even when you get those 1 euro flights from Ryanair, they work out to be 30 euro at the absolute minimum, and usually much more.

[Stephen Ireland]

Come on man. I've gotten flights from Ireland to Croatia/Norway for 20 Euro return...Even when you include the 10 Euro processing fee it only comes to 30 Euro. That's probably the same distance as the Philipines.

[the ireland]

[Stephen Ireland]

There are some budget airlines in Korea. Busanair and Jinair to name 2. Cebu pacific seem to be the biggest low cost airline in Asia but the costs are outragous.

400,000 return seems like the best possible deal. BUt it should be so much better.

If you look on ryanair you can get much better deals to England or mainland Europe even with the new travel tax. You don't have to just use Ryanair and it's not just from Ireland...most of Europe have cool deals You CAN find good deals in Europe but you CAN'T find good deals in korea despite the fact that there are so-called low cost airlines here.

Maybe you're right about the duopoly in the industry here. It seems like the protectionist policies in this country really run the competition.

[Binch Lover]

You have to remember that Europe's airline industry was similarly structured until 1992, before which governments restricted landing rights bilaterally to national carriers. Prices only went down because of regional integration, something unlikely to happen in Asia any time soon.

[DrugstoreCowgirl]

You may find that buying 1 way tickets can be cheaper. For instance, my friends went to the Philippines for winter vacation. Instead of doing a RT to Manila, they flew into Hong Kong, then to the Phil, then back to Korea and it was cheaper that way.

Also, I'm planning to do SE Asia at the end of summer. 1 way tickets to most places there are $340-400, but I can fly into Manila for around 180,000 and then take Tiger Air or Air Asia down to SE Asia for $50-60.

[conbon78]

Why are flights to Japan/China so expensive? Because they are ALWAYS full, so they can charge that much. Basic supply and demand. Its not so much the cost of the ticket as it is the taxes.