**Last Year’s Damage Relief Applications: 181 Cases…Up 331% from Previous Year**
**Beware of Special Terms and Conditions Instead of Standard Terms**
(Sejong=News1) Reporter Lee Cheol reports that applications for damage relief due to overseas travel among the elderly aged 60 and above have been increasing.
In particular, when “special terms and conditions” are applied in home shopping and package products, elderly individuals may incur substantial cancellation fees for health-related travel cancellations, warranting caution.
According to the Korea Consumer Agency, from January 2021 to June of this year, there were a total of 370 applications for damage relief related to overseas travel by elderly consumers (aged 60 and above). Last year alone, there was a 331.0% increase in applications compared to the previous year, with 181 cases filed.
The primary reason for the applications was “dissatisfaction with contract cancellation and penalty fees before departure,” accounting for 63.8% (236 cases) of the total. This was followed by “breach of contract” at 12.7% (47 cases), “dissatisfaction with quality/service” at 8.9% (33 cases), “safety accidents and facility damage” at 5.7% (21 cases), and “airline-related complaints” at 4.0% (15 cases).
Details of the dissatisfaction with contract cancellation and penalty fees before departure revealed that cancellations due to “health reasons” were the highest at 43.6% (103 cases). This was followed by “consumer’s personal reasons” such as a change of mind or change of departure date at 26.7% (63 cases), and “travel agency’s reasons” such as changes in product content or schedule at 17.0% (40 cases).
Elderly individuals aged 60 and above tend to prefer package products sold by travel agencies or home shopping channels.
A survey by the Consumer Agency of the terms of 426 overseas travel products sold by 8 domestic travel agencies and 9 home shopping companies found that 28.2% (120 items) used “standard international travel terms,” while 71.8% (306 items) applied “special terms” or a combination of special and standard terms.
Special terms and conditions separately agreed upon by the travel agency and the consumer take precedence over standard terms. Therefore, caution is advised as higher cancellation fees than those stipulated in the standard international travel terms or consumer dispute resolution standards may be imposed if the travel is canceled.
The Consumer Agency has recommended that nine home shopping companies and nine major domestic travel agencies improve and emphasize the disclosure of important contract details.
A representative from the Consumer Agency advised, “For products where special terms are applied, check the terms carefully, as they can impose penalties even if the travel is canceled due to health issues before departure, especially for the elderly.” They further encouraged travelers to “fully understand the information about travel products, including flights and accommodations, before signing a contract,” and particularly urged the elderly to “thoroughly review the details of travel insurance included in the contracts to prepare for accidents or injuries during travel.”