Read the Initial Statement published by the NCP 8 August 2024: English

On 29 December 2023, Min Byung-kook Tour Inc., a South Korean travel agency, submitted a specific instance to the South Korean NCP alleging that Finnair Oyj, a Finland-based enterprise active in the airline industry and majority-owned by the Finnish government, had not observed the Consumer Interests (Chapter VIII) provisions of the Guidelines. Specifically, issues concerned Finnair’s refusal to compensate the passengers for additional costs incurred by travellers due to the cancellation of a flight. The complainant claimed that the airline’s actions resulted in financial losses related to accommodation and transport in Iceland. Following coordination, the South Korean and Finnish NCP decided that the Finnish NCP would lead on handling the specific instance.

On 8 August 2024, the NCP published a final statement deciding not to accept the specific instance, as it concerned a commercial dispute between economic operators rather than a broader issue under the Guidelines. The NCP found the case to be an individual economic dispute and not representative of consumer interests, noting that airline passengers were entitled to compensation under aviation law, and the question of this liability for compensation was not raised. Given these factors, the NCP concluded that the Complaint lacked materiality and substantiation to warrant further examination.

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