Trade Ministry official uses airport lounge for free 33 times

A Ministry of Trade official faces charges for exploiting a first-class lounge loophole that cost Korean Air 20 million won ($14,537), the airline said.

A Korean Air plane takes off from a runway at Incheon International Airport last year. [YONHAP]

A passenger facing criminal charges for a dine-and-dash scheme, through which he used a first-class airport lounge for free for six years, turned out to be a Trade Ministry official, prosecutors said Saturday.

The Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office said it is investigating a fourth grade civil servant from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy who is accused of fraud and obstruction of business. The suspect allegedly enjoyed first-class benefits for free 33 times at Korean Air’s lounge between 2018 and last year.

The individual would purchase lower-class tickets before he planned to fly, Korean Air said. Once he'd checked in and checked his luggage, he purchased first-class tickets in an outbound duty-free area — allowing him to access the airline's first-class lounge, which serves high-quality meals including steaks and is equipped with amenities like massage chairs and showers. After using the facility, he would cancel his first-class ticket and board the plane to fly with his lower-class boarding pass.

Korean Air did not impose cancellation fees or commissions on first-class passengers, which allowed the individual to carry out the scheme free of charge.

The official's exploitation of that loophole caused Korean Air losses amounting to 20 million won ($14,537), the airline said.

Although the police precinct that initially handled the case declined to refer it to prosecutors, an appeal from Korean Air prompted further investigation.

“Korean Air is taking excessive measures by using its status as a flag carrier,” a legal representative of Korean Air said to broadcaster KBS. The attorney also accused the airline of “power abuse,” noting that his client was “banned from flying with Korean Air although he did not commit any terrorist acts.”

The ministry has temporarily removed the official from his previous responsibilities.

Korean Air recently established a new cancellation policy that charges 300,000 won to 500,000 won to first and business class passengers of international flights who complete the check-in process but do not board the plane with the first- or business-class tickets.

First-class passengers who cancel their ticket after using the lounge are also now required to pay extra 500,000 won as a penalty in an effort to prevent similar cases of abuse.

BY CHAE HYE-SEON, LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]