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| 대한항공 본사. (사진=연합뉴스) |
[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Sangjin] Korean Air has stated that the U.S. competition authorities (DOJ) have not requested the transfer of slots on U.S. West Coast routes as a condition for approving the merger with Asiana Airlines. According to their statement on the 2nd, "The DOJ has not requested slot transfers or reduced operations on specific routes between Korea and the U.S.," emphasizing that unlike in Europe, these routes are governed by open skies agreements that promote new entrants rather than reducing operations by integrating carriers.
Regarding slots at airports like Los Angeles and San Francisco, they noted that there are no significant difficulties in securing slots, and decisions regarding slot transfers at Incheon Airport are under the jurisdiction of the South Korean government, not the DOJ. They also highlighted ongoing efforts to restore competitive environments through new passenger routes and the sale of Asiana Airlines' cargo business.
Overall, they expect the DOJ to conclude its merger review after comprehensive evaluation of competitive environment restoration efforts.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim SangJin(letyou@alphabiz.co.kr)
