The Fair Trade Commission requested modifications and supplements, stating that it is difficult to initiate a review regarding the mileage integration plan of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. The commission raised concerns over the reduction in mileage usage options and the lack of explanation regarding the integration ratio.
According to the Fair Trade Commission on the 12th, Korean Air submitted its 'mileage integration plan' to the commission that day. While the commission assessed that this plan has significance as a starting point for evaluating consumer rights protection, it immediately demanded modifications and supplements, citing the potential disadvantages for Asiana Airlines users and the ambiguities of the integration ratio.
The commission stated, 'The plan submitted at this time has shortcomings when compared to the mileage usage options previously provided by Asiana Airlines,' and added that 'the lack of specific explanations regarding the mileage integration ratio suggests that it is somewhat insufficient to initiate a review.'
The integration plan appears to have been criticized primarily for excluding a significant number of mileage usage options that were previously available with Asiana Airlines, resulting in a reduced scope of actual usage for consumers due to the corporate merger. Given that a considerable number of mileage usage options that Asiana Airlines consumers could utilize before the integration have been excluded, it is the commission's assessment that this part must be supplemented and resubmitted.
Additionally, one of the reasons for the demand for supplements was that there was insufficient supporting documentation for calculating the integration ratio itself. The commission sees the need for data that can determine the legitimacy of those figures during the preparation of the review report and the subsequent stakeholder review process.
The commission particularly emphasized that 'Asiana consumers should not suffer disadvantages, and the rights of consumers from both Korean Air and Asiana must be protected in a balanced manner,' clearly conveying to Korean Air that the integration plan must meet the level expected by the public.
The submission of Korean Air's mileage integration plan corresponds to the 'submission stage' in handling the case. The commission plans to prepare a review report to be presented to the committee, following the examination of materials by the reviewers and the collection of opinions. The commission is also considering procedures to gather opinions from various stakeholders and experts.
A commission official noted, 'Since the mileage integration plan is a matter of public interest, it must be prepared to meet the expectations and levels of the public,' and added, 'We will conduct a rigorous and thorough review so that an integration plan that all airline consumers can accept can be approved in the end.'
In response, a representative from Korean Air stated, 'We plan to continue discussions in accordance with the commission's request,' but added, 'At this time, it is difficult to mention specific details or timelines.'
He further mentioned, 'This submission is significant as it marks the first step in establishing the mileage integration plan,' and added, 'We plan to actively participate in the upcoming processes with an attentive attitude to create a plan that meets the expectations of airline consumers.'