"I have to use mileage within this year"... Consumer clamor for the "out of stock" feast.

Asiana OZ Mile Shop Site

Consumers are complaining about the disappearance of airline mileage because they cannot find a suitable place to use it. In particular, it is pointed out that it is at the level of "picketing" (bloody fierce reservation competition) over the phenomenon of running out of goods as soon as they come up from Asiana Mileage Shop.

Asiana mileage bonus tickets, which are currently only partially released, are difficult for consumers to book at the time they want, and affiliate services to use mileage are also suspended one after another.

In September, Asiana Airlines terminated its contracts with seven existing mileage affiliates, E-Mart, CGV, Sono Hotel & Resort, Everland, Caribbean Bay, Modoo Tour, and Weekly Deals. An additional shopping mall has been opened to replace it, but the number of items is small and it is almost always out of stock.

Asiana Airlines' mileage use malls are three in total: a logo shop that sells Asiana goods, an in-flight duty-free shop that sells in-flight duty-free goods, and an OZ mile shop that sells affiliated products. As of the 27th, all six items on sale at the logo shop were out of stock, and the situation was similar with 41 items out of stock at the OZ Mile Shop. Even as users flock to the Asiana Airlines website, the access itself has to be "waiting."

Although goods are stocked every week at a fixed time, it is pointed out that you have to do an "open run" (waiting in line before the opening of business hours to buy goods) to exhaust mileage. Netizens responded by saying, "It's like an idol ticketing," "The sky can't fly, it only flies miles," and "It's harder to use than to build mileage."

According to the Financial Supervisory Service's electronic disclosure system, Korean Air's mileage deferred income was KRW 2.554 trillion and Asiana Airlines' deferred income was KRW 981.9 billion as of the end of September. Deferred income is income recognized when the mileage amount is exhausted without converting it into revenue at the time of the initial sales transaction and is regarded as a liability in the financial statements. It can be seen that the mileage is accumulated as much as the deferred income amount.

Concerns that mileage will be cut after the merger of Korean Air and Asiana also increased demand to exhaust mileage. The opinion that one-on-one integration with Asiana Airlines mileage is difficult because the market values Korean Air mileage higher. For example, when using current accumulated credit cards, Korean Air often earns 1 mileage per 1,500 won and Asiana Airlines often earns 1 mileage per 1,000 won.

However, Korean Air explained that even if the business combination is confirmed, there will be no sudden change in the mileage management method of the two airlines. This is because Asiana Airlines will be operated as a separate subsidiary for the next two years. Asiana Airlines' mileage conversion rate, which was not exhausted during this period, will be determined after a review by the Fair Trade Commission later.

As mileage exhaustion is a major "homework," airlines will also fly special mileage flights to Jeju side by side. Korean Air announced a plan to operate a mileage special on the 21st. Flights departing from Gimpo at 1:40 p.m. can be issued first with mileage for a total of three days, on the 28th of next month, the 30th of next month, and January 1st of next year. Asiana Airlines announced its 'Jeju Happy Mileage Week' promotion plan on the 26th. You can book 56 remaining seats running from the 2nd to the 15th of next month with mileage.

An Asiana official said, "We will provide about 4,500 mileage seats," and added, "We will try to improve the inconvenience of customers by expanding the quantity of popular OZ Mile Shop items and devising measures to expand various uses."

Reporter Lee Yu Na from Digital News Team.