A late flight does not automatically mean compensation. Under Korean standards, international flights are generally set at 10% for a 2–4 hour delay, 20% for 4–12 hours and 30% beyond 12 hours, but the airline can be exempt if it proves causes it could not control, such as bad weather or airport conditions. A Korea Consumer Agency survey released on October 21 found that 21 of 22 airlines had no compensation clause beyond a fare refund for cancellations they caused, or left it to their own discretion.

This article is based on a Kyunghyang Shinmun report of October 24 summarizing the Korea Fair Trade Commission's consumer dispute resolution standards and the EU and US rules, and a News1 report of October 21 on the Korea Consumer Agency's survey of airline terms. Compensation amounts vary by route and rule, so they are not listed here.

At a glance

Korea: delay length and cause both matter

In Korea, the Aviation Business Act, the transport ministry's air passenger protection standards and the Fair Trade Commission's consumer dispute resolution standards are read together. The dispute resolution standards are a guideline for settlements when there is no separate agreement, so real disputes also look at the airline's conditions of carriage and the cause of the delay.

For international flights the usual standard is 10% for 2–4 hours, 20% for 4–12 hours and 30% beyond 12 hours. In one case, an international flight left about 90 minutes late and the passenger got nothing because it fell short of the minimum. If the airline proves force majeure, such as bad weather, airport conditions, a late connecting aircraft or unforeseen maintenance for safety, it may be exempt.

The EU and the US work differently

On flights covered by EU rules, you can claim fixed compensation based on distance when arrival at your final destination is 3 hours or more late and the airline cannot prove an exception. There are three distance bands: up to 1,500km, 1,500–3,500km, and longer. Arrival, not departure, is what counts, so a missed connection on a single booking is judged by the delay at the final destination.

Flights departing an EU member state can be covered regardless of the airline's nationality, while flights into the EU from outside depend on conditions such as whether an EU airline operates them. The US centers on refunds rather than fixed compensation. The US Department of Transportation treats arrival 3 hours late on domestic flights and 6 hours late on international flights as a significant delay, and if you choose not to travel you can get a refund. If you take the changed flight, you may not get a full refund.

Cancellation compensation: gaps in airline terms

The Korea Consumer Agency reviewed the terms of 11 Korean and 11 foreign airlines. 21 of them (95.5%) had no compensation clause beyond a fare refund for cancellations they caused, or left it to the airline. Costs from cancelling hotels, rental cars or tickets are hard to recover.

12 airlines (54.5%) even counted internal issues such as labor shortages or technical problems after the captain signs off as force majeure. The agency recommended revising the terms, saying exemptions should be limited to things airlines cannot control. Air passenger relief applications to the agency last year reached 3,201, up 26.4%.

What to do if your flight is late

At the airport, ask for the reason for the delay in writing and whether a replacement flight, accommodation or transport costs are covered. If the airline refuses, check its conditions of carriage and the dispute resolution standards and object to the airline first; if that fails, you can use the transport ministry's relief procedure or apply for counseling and relief at the Korea Consumer Agency.

Keep your ticket, boarding pass, delay text messages, the airline's replies and receipts for any extra costs.

Pre-departure checklist