The $120 fee for long-haul flights will apply to passengers who either do not cancel their reservation prior to departure or who fail to provide advance notice that they no longer require a booking.
The fines will apply from October 1. UK passengers will be faced with the $120 fee if travelling to Seoul or further. For those on medium-haul flights, the fine falls to $70, with a smaller charge on domestic services.
Fines will also apply to those who have purchased flights with frequent flier points. Points will be deducted from members’ accounts, with fines of between 5,000 and 12,000 miles for international services.
Korean Air has been charging domestic flight no-show fees since October 2008 and says it has been able to offer the cancelled seats to waiting customers, minimizing seat wastage.
The airline says the policy brings it into line with carriers including Singapore Airlines, Emirates and JAL, which have all introduced no-show fees. Korean Air hopes passengers who in the past could not purchase tickets on flights showing full but which subsequently left with empty seats, will now be able to travel.
