Panorama view of Asiana Airlines headquarters. (Photo = Asiana Airlines)

[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Jisun] On the 25th, the Asiana Airlines Pilots' Union and the General Union issued a joint statement declaring, "We are firmly opposed to Korean Air's acquisition and merger of Asiana Airlines as it will clearly result in national and public harm."

The unions argued, "The mega-carrier concept promoted by Korean Air has turned out to be just an empty slogan and has merely become a means for Chairman Cho Won-tae of Hanjin Group to defend his managerial control."

The union criticized that, in order to push through the excessive merger, Korean Air has decided to relinquish numerous transport rights, resulting in annual aviation industry revenues amounting to trillions of won being transferred from the national airline to foreign airlines. The European Union (EU) previously imposed corrective measures as a condition for approving the merger, requiring the transfer of routes to Frankfurt, Paris, Rome, and Barcelona to domestic low-cost carriers (LCCs).

The union further criticized that the public is already suffering due to the merger, citing a reduction in the number of flights to European destinations such as Rome, which has caused inconvenience to the people.

Korean Air has received approval from 13 of the 14 required reporting countries for the merger with Asiana Airlines, with the United States being the exception. Negotiations with U.S. authorities, including preliminary procedures such as the sale of the cargo business, are expected to conclude around October, with discussions ongoing to address competitive concerns.

 

 

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