Denied Boarding on Korean Air

Denied Boarding on Korean Air? Here’s What You Should Do

It can be pictured like this; you go to the airport with your packed and neat luggage, well-organized documents and your itinerary is ready. You are standing on the line to board the plane, getting through the gate and seeing the plane scan your ticket, the attendant tells you that you cannot get aboard. To a great number of passengers, their refusal to board a Korean Air flight is an absolute surprise. However, it is a case that occurs and does happen, and knowing how to deal with it may mean the difference between a travel nightmare and an inconvenience that can be dealt with.

The first stage is to know why there was denial. Just like other airlines in the world Korean Air at times overbook their flights. This is a standard practice of the airlines with several tickets being sold and booking expecting that some people will default. However, when everyone shows to fly, the airline is forced to make some decisions who flies and who can stay. In other instances, one may be denied boarding because he/she has problems with his/her documentation e.g. expired passport, no visa etc. Late in the check in counter or at the time of reaching on the gate can also lead to the loss of seat though you have already checked in. In some cases passengers might also be rejected because of health or safety reasons.

When refused, the best thing to do is to keep cool and request the airline personnel to clarify on the same. In case the cause behind it associates with overbooking and you are denied involuntarily, then you are regarded as an involuntary denied boarding case. There are also certain protocols that Korean Air must process in such situations. It involves providing compensation or other types of assistance as per the aviation regulation and as per the policy of the particular airline. You might get a cash refund or a rebooking into the next available flight to your destination without paying extra money. In the case you are made to wait a number of hours due to the delay, meals, transport, and hotel association by the airline may also be provided according to time and place.

In the case of voluntarily passengers relinquishing their seat to get privileges, Korean Air can offer to them travel credits, upgrades and so on. But then it is necessary that any kind of agreement that you may have done should be re-assured in written form which should contain all the details of your newly customized flight, any sort of compensation and any sort of accommodations that may be guaranteed.

Provided that the situation cannot be resolved on the airport level, or that you believe your case was not treated reasonably, you may address your problem directly to Korean Air customer service team using the contact information provided on their official web site or call their customer service department. You can keep track of similar things like your boarding pass, any written documents by the staff, and any receipts needed to cover expenses to help your case in any further claims or compensation.

Being denied boarding is a sure annoyance, however, the knowledge of your rights, timely actions and communicating accurately with the airline company will also minimize the stress and allow you to solve the problem quickly and effectively. Although you never want to be left at the gate, you should always be ready in case anything like that happens to you as this would make you never be caught off guard.