"Free Cancellation Denied Two Months Before Trip... Yanolja Yeo-Gi-Eo-Ttae’s Refund Policy Angers Consumers"

Yanolja Package Tour: Two Months Before Departure,
Customer Service Says "Non-Refundable Due to Chartered Flight"
But Payment Page's Special Clause Allows Refund Up to 61 Days Before
Conflicting Policies Between Product Information and Special Te

#Lee Kyunghee (pseudonym), who runs a small business in the Seoul metropolitan area, booked a package tour through the online travel agency (OTA) 'Yanolja Yeo-Gi-Eo-Ttae' last month to travel with her parents to Zhangjiajie, China this November. The schedule included visits to major local tourist attractions, and it was a premium package that did not include any separate options or visits to shopping facilities. The price was also about 200,000 to 300,000 won more expensive than similar package tours.

This product was sold on the condition that a deposit of 300,000 won per person be paid upfront, with the remaining balance due once flight seats and itinerary were confirmed. Lee paid the deposit for each traveler and completed the payment, but due to her parents living in a different region, they could no longer make the trip. She then requested a cancellation through the platform's customer service center. However, the customer service agent informed her, "Because this package uses a chartered flight, cancellation is not permitted." Since there were still more than two months left until the scheduled travel date, Lee repeatedly requested cancellation, but the agent continued to insist that it was not possible according to the company's policy. Feeling uncertain, Lee clicked the cancel button on her own reservation confirmation page within the platform; contrary to the agent's explanation, her reservation was canceled and her deposit was fully refunded.

Zhangjiajie.

Lee said, "It was actually a product that could be canceled and refunded, but they kept giving me the same guidance over the phone that it was not possible," adding, "Zhangjiajie is a destination popular among middle-aged and older travelers, and if consumers who are not proficient in using online platforms and checking terms and conditions find themselves in a similar situation, they may not be able to receive proper refunds or assistance."

Yanolja Yeo-Gi-Eo-Ttae, Korea's second-largest OTA, is causing consumer confusion due to ambiguous refund policies.

On September 8, an analysis by The Asia Business Daily of packages listed by Yanolja Yeo-Gi-Eo-Ttae found that the detailed information of products on sale indicates, "from the deposit payment to the departure date, a cancellation fee ranging from 200,000 won to 100% of the travel expenses per date will be charged." This implies that free cancellation is not available after booking.

However, the special terms and conditions exposed during the payment step state that "100% refund is possible up to 61 days before departure." After that, depending on when the cancellation is notified, the customer must compensate from 40% up to the entire amount of the travel expenses. Regarding these inconsistent refund rules, a representative from Yanolja Yeo-Gi-Eo-Ttae stated, "Cancellation and refund policies vary by product," but has not yet provided an official position.

According to the Korea Fair Trade Commission's consumer dispute resolution standards, if a traveler requests cancellation of an overseas travel contract, the deposit can be refunded if the request is made at least 30 days before the trip. If notified 20 days prior, a cancellation fee of 10% of the travel fee is charged; 15% if 10 days prior; 20% if eight days prior; 30% one day before departure; and 50% if notified on the day of departure. However, for packages with special terms and conditions, those terms may take precedence regarding cancellation fees.

As OTAs in Korea and abroad, which were originally focused on accommodation reservations, expand into broader travel services covering flights and major attractions, consumer disputes have been increasing.

According to a survey by the Korea Consumer Agency, which examined 200 products from six OTA platforms (Nolinterpark Tour, MyRealTrip, WAUG, Kkday, Klook, and Triple) offering overseas local tours and transportation products, there were a total of 246 consumer damage relief claims related to these products over the past three years. By year, there were 17 cases in 2022, 62 in the following year, 93 in 2024, and as of August last year, 74 cases, showing a yearly increase.

By type of damage, "failure to fulfill contract" accounted for the largest proportion at 28.0% (69 cases), followed by "contract cancellation" at 26.4% (65 cases), which includes situations such as notification right before the tour that the reservation is unavailable due to missing travelers on the list or not meeting the minimum number required to proceed. Applications related to "withdrawal of offer," such as requesting cancellation immediately after purchase but having the operator refuse a refund, also accounted for 25.6% (63 cases).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.