• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.163-199
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• 2010

A frequent flyer program is a loyalty program offered by many airlines. Typically, airline customers enrolled in the program accumulate frequent flyer miles corresponding to the distance flown on that airline or its partners. There are other ways to accumulate miles. In recent years, more miles were awarded for using co-branded credit and debit cards than for air travel. Acquired miles can be redeemed for free air travel; for other goods or services, such as travel class upgrades, airport lounge access or priority bookings. The first modern frequent flyer program was created Texas International Airlines in 1979. This program was also adopted in Korean Air in 1984. Since then, the mileage programs have grown enormously. As of June 2009, the total member of two national airlines in Korea had been over thirty million. However, accumulated miles could be burden of airlines, because the korean corporations should record the annual financial report the accumulate mileage on a liability account by 'the international financial report standards(IFRS)' next year. The korean airlines need to minimize the accumulated miles, so that for instance Korean Airlines SKYPASS-miles expire 5 years after being earned. It means that miles earned on or after July 2008 will expire after five years if unredeemed. Thus, this paper attempt to analyze the unfairness of the mileage rules of korean airlines by examining a specific portion of the conditions relating to consumer protection, because many mileage users has difficulties using mileage programs and complained the amendment of the mileage rules. In conclusion, the contemporary mileage rules in Korea are rather unsatisfactory, because airlines is not only recognizing a mileage into a kind of benefit but also denying inheritance of mileage and the legal nature of mileage as a property right. It is necessary to amend relevant mileage rules in view of consumer protection, because air mileage is not simple benefit but a right of mileage user.