T’way Air To Fly Korean Air Boeing 777s

To ensure a smooth transaction between Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, Boeing 777s will reportedly be sent to T’way Air, a fellow South Korean carrier.

The move to transfer aircraft will also include relevant crew personnel to facilitate operations with the widebody from pilots to maintenance. The specific variant is the Boeing 777-300ER.

Fleet data indicates that Korean Air has 25 of these 777-300ERs, which work alongside the 777-200s and 777-300s, among some of the oldest aircraft in the fleet.

Korean Air Prepares To Takeover Asiana Airlines

However, as preparations ramp up internally at Korean Air to acquire Asiana Airlines, a major shakeup to not just the South Korean aviation sector but the world, measures need to be taken to ensure approval can be granted.

Some of those measures included selling the Asiana Airlines Cargo division, which was a significant step toward ensuring competitors could continue operating once the takeover was complete.

The sale of the cargo division was part of a package submitted to the European Commission that included remedies following an initial rejection. However, much thought must be given to other elements of the business and other competitors.

As part of a focus on passenger operations, the EU also stated that there were some concerns regarding the passenger route network, and a conditional part of the entry revolved around the support of T’way Air to serve the markets.

These countermeasures are just part of the many attempts undertaken by Korean Air to ensure approval for its major planned takeover of Asiana Airlines. A decision from U.S. authorities is still pending.

Takeovers between airlines such as this have been rejected for far less, and compliance with regulations and ensuring a steady dialogue are critical for all relevant parties to ensure such a deal doesn’t fall through at the last stage.

Even if all these transfers and approvals go smoothly, the takeover won’t be complete. A lot of work remains before it can be finalised and considered done. Analysts expect this to take half a decade at best.

Some things worth considering extending beyond just how to appease the U.S., EU and other key governing bodies are what the fleets will look like, low-cost and mainline businesses, employee base, and so much more with a lack of clarity here remaining.