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T'way Airlines (Photo=T'way Airlines) |
[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Jisun] While T'way Airlines is scheduled to launch the Paris route as one of the EU's rival conditions for the merger of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, the French government has expressed its opinion that it is a "violation of the aviation agreement." The Korean government is negotiating with the French government to launch T'way Airlines.
According to the aviation industry on the 21st, French aviation authorities recently expressed their opinion to the Korean government and Korean Air that T'way Airlines' service to France was a violation of the aviation agreement.
Previously, Korea and France signed an aviation agreement in 1974. At that time, only Korean Air, a single national airline, was required to operate on the Paris route. Since then, Asiana Airlines has expanded to two airlines in 2008. Korean Air operates 7 times a week on the Incheon-Paris route and 6 times a week on Asiana Airlines.
The European Commission (EC) said it is concerned about a monopoly due to the merger of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. Since then, Korean Air has issued a corrective measure that includes transferring four European passenger routes (Paris, Barcelona, Rome and Frankfurt) to low-cost carrier (LCC) T'way Airlines. The EC conditionally approved it in February.
Korean Air considered transferring five A330-200 aircraft for T'way Air's service to Europe. However, the French government said that T'way Airlines' service between Incheon and Paris, scheduled for late June, goes against the aviation agreement.
If the French government does not allow T'way Airlines to fly to Paris, it will not be able to meet the terms of approval for the merger between EC Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korean Air are in talks with French aviation authorities.
AlphaBIZ Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
