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Korean Air announced (28-Nov-2024) the European Commission granted final approval to Korean Air to proceed with plans to acquire a controlling stake in Asiana Airlines and subsequently merge the two airlines, after the airline implemented the following measures to address competition concerns:

• Korean Air will divest Asiana Airlines' global freight business, including freight aircraft, slots, traffic rights, flight crew and other employees;
• Korean Air will assist rival airline T'way Air to commence services connecting Seoul to Barcelona, Paris, Frankfurt and Rome, including providing slots, traffic rights and access to required aircraft.

As previously reported by CAPA, the airline submitted requests for regulatory approval for the Asiana acquisition from antitrust authorities in 14 countries in Jan-2021. It has received approval from authorities in 13 countries, including Australia, Singapore, the UK, China and Japan, and is still awaiting approval from authorities in the US. [more - original PR - Korean]

Emirates Airline announced (26-Nov-2024) plans to bring forward daily A350 scheduled Dubai-Edinburgh service from 03-Jan-2025. The A350 will be rolled out to eight other destinations including Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kuwait, Bahrain, Colombo, Lyon, Muscat and Bologna, with more destinations to follow. [more - original PR]

CAPA - Centre for Aviation, in a report entitled: 'AviAlliance acquires three smaller UK airports from AGS - what will the future hold for all of them?', stated (22-Nov-2024) AviAlliance's somewhat mixed performance in 2024 - including its share loss in Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, increased holding in Athens International Airport, the continued positive performance of San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International Airport and the general downturn of the regional aviation market impacting some of its airports in Germany - may have impacted the investor's decision to enter the airport market in the UK. AviAlliance is confident in its investment in Aberdeen International Airport, Glasgow Airport and Southampton Airport, but faces a challenge. The sale of AGS should be completed in 1Q2025. [more - CAPA Analysis]

IAG announced (25-Nov-2024) a new sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) purchase agreement with eSAF producer Infinium, which plans to supply the UK market with power-to-liquid eSAF from 4Q2026. Infinium will supply eSAF to support IAG airlines over a 10 year period. The eSAF will be produced at Infinium's Project Roadrunner facility in the US. IAG group sustainability officer Jonathon Counsell stated: "So far, we're on track to deliver our 10% 2030 SAF goal and agreements with innovators like Infinium are key to reaching this target. Aviation as an industry is working hard to decarbonise and policy should focus on solutions such as SAF, rather than only increasing costs which risk affecting the competitiveness of the European aviation industry". [more - original PR]

Qatar's Ministry of Interior, via its official Twitter account, announced (22-Nov-2024) the launch of the US Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) on 22-Nov-2024, in coordination with US Department of Homeland Security and US Customs and Border Protection. The system allows Qatari citizens to travel to the US without a visa for up to 90 days, under the visa waiver programme.

UK's Department for Transport launched (25-Nov-2024) the Jet Zero Taskforce, a congregation of "the most senior figures in the aviation sector" who will support efforts to "make greener air travel a reality". These will include Transport Minister Louise Haigh, Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Miliband, CEOs of airlines including easyJet and Virgin Atlantic Airways, representatives from London Heathrow Airport and Manchester Airport, as well as fuel producers, trade bodies and leading universities. The taskforce will feature an annual CEO level meeting to set priorities and review progress. Building on the previous Jet Zero Council, the taskforce will support the production and delivery of sustainable aviation fuel and zero emission flight, as well as the sector's demand for greenhouse gas removals and the non-CO2 impacts of aviation. [more - original PR]