Traveler Left Empty-Handed After Sudden Cancellation of Malaysia Trip

On July 1, 2024, an individual was spotted holding a passport at Incheon International Airport. [NEWS1]

A person who reserved a three-night, five-day journey to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, found their arrangements abruptly canceled with no prior notice. They lost all their money since the travel agency did not provide a refund and ceased communication entirely.

The traveler had made arrangements for the journey through a travel agency back in November and had paid $1,400 in cash, equivalent to 2.05 million won. Seventeen days prior to the intended departure date of February 5th, the agency decided to cancel the trip.

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As per the contract, the traveler had the right to receive a complete reimbursement along with a 10 percent penalty charge. However, the organization failed to adhere to this and ultimately ceased all contact, which left the traveler incapable of retrieving their money.

Consumer protection agencies are advising increased vigilance as incidents related to package tours keep increasing. The Korea Consumer Agency (KCA) reported on Sunday that they received 3,922 travel-related complaints during the last half-decade.

The number of complaints rose to 1,152 in 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic before dropping dramatically to 264 in 2021.

Complaints started increasing once more, with numbers hitting 443 in 2022, jumping to 896 in 2023, and rising further to 1,167 the following year. Out of all reported instances, international trips made up 3,356 complaints, which corresponds to 85.6 percent of the total.

The predominant category of complaints revolved around disagreements regarding contract conditions, encompassing issues like exorbitant cancellation charges and tardy or insufficient reimbursements, totaling 2,587 instances which made up 66 percent.

An additional 996 instances, which represent 25.4 percent of the total, were due to factors like unexpected alterations to travel plans, discontentment with local tour leaders or lodgings, and grievances over aggressive sales pitches during shopping trips.

A lot of grievances were from passengers who didn't get their money back following contract terminations midway through travel plans.

The agency linked this pattern to the declining financial condition of travel firms, which was further exacerbated by the buildup of losses throughout the pandemic.

The KCA recommended that travelers choose reliable agencies wisely and examine cancellation policies closely prior to making any bookings.

The suggestion was to prefer paying with a credit card and opting for installments whenever feasible, giving customers the ability to use their "right to withhold payment" should the contractual conditions be unmet.

The agency stressed the significance of gathering proof like videos, images, and taped discussions in case of disagreements while traveling.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]