[Alpha Biz=(Chicago) Reporter Kim Jisun] Korean Air's "mileage reform plan," which was scheduled to take effect in April, has virtually been canceled.
Initially, Korean Air was planning to change the mileage deduction standard from "region" to "flight distance" and apply mileage accumulation rates differently for each grade. However, it was temporarily put on hold due to public opposition and the government's demand for correction.
Korean Air announced on the 20th, "We are carefully reviewing overall improvement measures after collecting opinions from customers."
Korean Air announced its plan to reorganize the system on December 13, 2019, before the COVID-19 incident. It was originally scheduled to take effect in April 2021, but the implementation period was suspended for two years in the aftermath of COVID-19. At that time, controversy arose as it became known that it was a reorganization of the system that "should be accumulated less and used more," but COVID-19 calmed this controversy.
However, with overseas travel resuming in earnest recently, complaints began to erupt among air consumers as the timing of Korean Air's mileage reform approached.
As the controversy grew, Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Won Hee-ryong strongly criticized the SNS on two occasions.
On the 19th, he also repeatedly criticized Korean Air, saying, "I survived with employment maintenance subsidies and state-run finance during the COVID-19 period, but I'm glad I can't promote my gratitude."
A Korean Air official said, "As it has been reorganized for years since the reorganization plan was first unveiled at the end of 2019, it is difficult to come up with a new plan immediately," adding, "The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the business department continue to discuss countermeasures."
AlphaBIZ 김지선(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
