Pilotcenter.net News reports that the European Union has given the green light to Korean Air’s proposal to acquire Asiana Airlines. The European Commission confirmed on November 28, 2024 that Korean Air has met all the necessary conditions for the merger with Asiana Airlines. This approval adds to the list of 13 out of 14 relevant countries that have granted permission, with only the US pending review.

Back in February 2024, the EC conditionally approved the merger, outlining two main requirements: ensuring the stable operation of a remedy carrier on four overlapping European routes - Barcelona Airport-BCN, Frankfurt Airport-FRA, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport-CDG, and Rome Airport-FCO, and the sale of Asiana’s freighter business.
To meet these conditions, Korean Air has chosen T’way Air, a South Korean low-cost carrier, as the remedy carrier for the European routes. The agreement involves commitments from Korean Air to offer operational support such as aircraft, flight crew, and maintenance services. Meanwhile, Air Incheon has been earmarked as the buyer of Asiana Airlines’ freighter business.

With the European Commission’s final approval now submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice, Korean Air aims to finalize the transaction by December 2024. As per a Korea JoongAng Daily report, Korean Air plans to maintain Asiana as a subsidiary for a two-year period following the merger, allowing for an interim period in which employees from both airlines will be exchanged.