Travelers who miss flights may soon get 'airport fees' refunded

New proposed regulations would refund airport charges, which are currently included in flight ticket prices, to passengers who don't board their flights.

Travelers wait at Incheon International Airport's departure gates. [YONHAP]

New proposed regulations would refund airport charges, which are currently included in flight ticket prices, to passengers who don't board their flights.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced Thursday that the preliminary notification period for the revised airport charges bill will begin on Friday and continue through Oct. 30.

Under current law, airport corporations can collect “facility charges” from travelers who pass through. These charges currently amount to 17,000 won ($12.80) for international flights and 5,000 won for domestic flights at Incheon and Gimpo International Airports while other airports charge 5,000 won for international flights and 4,000 for domestic. Airlines add these fees to ticket prices.

Previously, passengers who did not fly could request refunds for airport fees within one year of their scheduled departure date. However, those requests were not legally binding and were handled separately by each airline as a customer service measure, per International Air Transport Association guidelines.

The proposed revision would establish legally binding grounds for customers to request refunds for up to five years. The ministry also plans to notify customers of the refund period through text messages and social media. Unused airport fees will be transferred to a government fund for public transportation after five years if unclaimed.

“The new regulations are significant in protecting passengers' rights,” said Shin Yun-geun, director of the ministry's aviation policy division. “The ministry is also collaborating with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to explore similar refund measures for the departure tax.”

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [yoon.seungjin@joongang.co.kr]