Korean Job Discussion Forums

hanams · Joined: 05 Oct 2010 Location: Sydney

Has anyone had issues with the airfare with their schools? I'm going to work for a public school (GEPIK) and I thought I just buy my ticket and show them my itinerary and they will reimburse me. I want to book a direct flight to Seoul ($900AUD) and the school wants me to book a stopover flight ($700AUD). It doesn't state any specifics in the contract about airfares.

Am I supposed to go for the stopover flight? This may sound whiney but really shouldn't they state any specifics they wanted in the contract then?? My recruiter isn't much help either stating that most one way tickets are no more than $800. Unfortunately Australia is far and they charge over that price....

soyoungmikey · Joined: 29 Jun 2009

Unless there is a max. dollar amount then get a ticket price at w/e you want. They should reimburse you. If they are haggling with already even before you get here. Ding, ding warning sign.

nathanrutledge · Joined: 01 May 2008 Location: Marakesh

For GEPIK, if I'm not mistaken, the contract says that you will be reimbursed for the most direct flight, lowest priced, economy seat, from your home airport to ICN. That in mind, of the two terms "direct flight" and "lowest priced," which one takes priority? Lowest price. Unless the difference in time is many hours, just take the layover. It's not something worth fighting over, IMO.

soyoungmikey, it's a GEPIK school. There is not a max price, BUT they ARE specific about getting a ticket. I wouldn't see it as a warning sign, i'd see it as GEPIK is strapped for cash and they're trying to save a few hundred dollars.

lifeinkorea · Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Location: somewhere in China

sojusucks · Joined: 31 May 2008

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

nathanrutledge · Joined: 01 May 2008 Location: Marakesh

Rereading my current contract, I see that the "lowest priced" part HAS been removed. From the 2010 contract -

hanams · Joined: 05 Oct 2010 Location: Sydney

My contract states:
"The airfare for Employee�s flight to Korea shall be considered to support the Employee�s entrance into Korea for the purpose of employment as a GEPIK teacher. The Employee shall receive the reimbursement of the airfare by Employer within a month (30 days) upon working at the school, based on the actual purchasing price of economy class of the flight available from Employee�s residence to the Incheon International Airport in Korea.
a. Employee from outside of Korea: A one-way economy ticket from Employee�s residence to Incheon International Airport will be reimbursed within a month (30 days) from working at the school."

It doesn't state any specifics at all about the flight...

I only got an email from my recruiter asking me to find the cheapest flight possible (because that's what the school wants) and when I told her that the cheapest direct flight was $900 she asked me what my nearest airport is (Sydney) so that she could research as well. She found the stopover flight in Malaysia for several hours which cost $700. I'm not sure if that's what the school told her to do or if its just her?? Although I don't see why it would just be her?? There isn't anything in it for her? Is there? =]

How would I be able to contact the school directly?? Is that possible??

WadRUG'naDoo · Joined: 15 Jun 2010 Location: Shanghai

What a pain in the arse.

Someone's probably saying to get the cheapest flight. Well, a stopover for many hours in Malaysia is just not acceptable. Just buy the ticket and come and don't listen to them. You should, however, buy a round-trip ticket.

They should specify up to how much they're willing to reimburse or buy the ticket for you. Christ, next they'll be asking you to take a boat. Yeah, do research and get a travel agent to find out the very, very cheapest way to get to Korea with as many stopovers as possible. Maybe three or four in all and stay overnight at your expense in a couple of hotels.

lifeinkorea · Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Location: somewhere in China

nathanrutledge · Joined: 01 May 2008 Location: Marakesh

It sounds like the want you to take AirAsia, which while a great airline, it's still a discount airline. The price of the ticket is ONLY for a seat. You'd being paying for luggage, snacks, and the seatbelt (okay, maybe not THAT bad, but you get the point).

I've flown to Korea three times on GEPIK contracts, and home twice. They NEVER said a word about the price of the ticket. I've had tickets as low as 750 roundtrip to 1300 one way (and this was in AMERICAN dollars when the AUD was in the tank!).

I would definitely find out WHO the carrier they want you to fly is and wouldn't accept a discount carrier. If it's not Qantas, KoreanAir, or Asiana, I'd take a pass. That who every other NET flies to get here (or perhaps one of their national carriers) and you deserve no less, especially when the savings of the discount carrier are offset by the fees they'll charge you.