Korean Job Discussion Forums

Voyeur · Joined: 19 Jun 2003

I'm flying to my brother's wedding in Krakow, Poland.

Using a very good Korean travel agent, all they can sell me are flights that end in Warsaw. Then I have to take the train.

If I go on expedia, travelocity, or other online websites there are TONS of one-stop flights from Seoul that end up in Krakow. This made no sense to me.

The agent said that difference is that these are not really a single flight. You are just buying two different tickets. You will have to check out your baggage at the stop over European airport (Frankfurt or Prague likely) and then go through customs and check in again etc... They also say that without a credit card in my name it will be hard to get tickets online. I dont have a card for tax reasons and was going to use my brothers.

Even with a card, they still suggest that coming from Korea, all factors included, the extra 3 hour train ride from Warsaw tacked onto a single connected flight I can buy with cash in this country will still be a more convenient and safer way to get my flight than going online or buying two non-connected flights.

I've never gone online to buy tickets and really have no idea. Also, it is basically like a 20+ hour total trip and given fluctuations in stop-over times, I don't really get into Krakow much later training in from Warsaw than I do on the flights that land in Krakow - all things considered. I trust the agent, she isn't just trying to get me to use her services, she really believes what she is saying.

But I'm totally clueless here. Any advice?

twilczynski · Joined: 22 Aug 2006

I'm from Poland and have flied a few times from Korea to Warsaw and the other way round. Tip: the quickest and cheapest way is through Moscow using Aeroflot (co-operated with Korean Air).

I'll PM you later today and tell you the details if you're interested.

The Dude from Canada · Joined: 19 Feb 2007

Don't go 2 days and you'll be crying to come back to Korea.

Drunken Monkey · Joined: 17 Jan 2007

Try Lufthansa into Frankfurt.
They are generally cheaper and you will probably be able to get a connecting flight to your final destination.

leebumlik69 · Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 4:47 pm Post subject:

twilczynski · Joined: 22 Aug 2006

Drunken Monkey · Joined: 17 Jan 2007

Lufthansa have some great deals.
Dont go through an agent, deal directly.
I know they are due to launch a new flight schedule and as part of the promotion they are offering cheap flights (4 - 500,000 Won region) After that im sure a flight to Poland could be arranged with another low cost company.

Drunken Monkey · Joined: 17 Jan 2007

And in addition to this remember that the luftawafa pilots are very familiar with the route to Poland!!

The never get lost going to England, although somtimes they just drop me over Coventry and bugger off back to the Fatherland. Wink

Voyeur · Joined: 19 Jun 2003

Thanks for the advice so far. However, I guess I did not make my exact difficulty clear enough.

I already can make plans for a connected, 1-stop flight to Warsaw using Korean Air. Aeroflot is an option as are some others.

My problem is that I want to go to KRAKOW - not Warsaw. So I need a 1-stop flight that ends in Krakow.

Many are advertised on the internet - but I am told that they are NOT really connected flights and consist of basically buying two sets of tickets, checking in and out of customs twice, etc... Supposedly there are difficulties in this.

So what is better? A 1-stop flight to Warsaw and train to Krakow, but that is through Korean Air and is *connected* (baggage goes straight thru, 1 stop in customs only, etc...) and that I can get here from a travel agent. Or going online and trying to get two *NOT CONNECTED* tickets that work together and have me end up in Krakow?

Also, getting the lowest possible price is not really an issue for me. I just would like to get as short and convenient a flight as I can.

Drunken Monkey · Joined: 17 Jan 2007

Ok, 1 connection = changing airlines and the necessary check ins baggage reclaim etc.
2 connections you can go with Lufthansa, seoul - Frankfurt - Munich - Krakow.

Personally, i would choose the 1 stop option and put up with the extra hassle.

VanIslander · Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 10:54 pm Post subject:

expect this thread to be moved to the Travel forum where it belongs

a mod will pm the op, as per standard procedure i think

Voyeur · Joined: 19 Jun 2003

Voyeur · Joined: 19 Jun 2003

Milwaukiedave · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Location: Goseong

My advice...flap your arms really fast. It's much cheaper.

Woland · Joined: 10 May 2006 Location: Seoul

Just saw in the Korea Times that starting next month Asiana is entering into a code sharing deal with the Polish airline LOT, which will allow direct ticketing on Asiana to Krakow (basically, Asiana to Frankfurt, then LOT to Krakow, but all on one ticket). I don't suppose you can wait that long, though. Sorry.