MOLIT selects alternative airlines for routes impacted by Korean Air-Asiana Airlines merger
South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) selected (06-Jan-2026) the following airlines to operate select routes identified as at risk of negative impact on competition following the merger of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, due to the two airlines representing more than 50% of the market share on those routes:
- Alaska Airlines: Seattle-Seoul Incheon;
- T'way Air: Seoul Incheon-Jakarta and Seoul Gimpo-Jeju;
- Air Premia: Seoul Incheon-Honolulu;
- Eastar Jet: Seoul Gimpo-Jeju;
- JEJU air: Seoul Gimpo-Jeju;
- Parata Air: Seoul Gimpo-Jeju.
As previously reported by CAPA, slots and traffic rights held by Korean Air and Asiana Airlines on six international routes, connecting Seoul Incheon to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Paris and Rome, have already been transferred to alternative airlines. [more - original PR - Korean]
Background ✨
The Korea Fair Trade Commission identified 34 routes as being at risk of reduced competition after the Korean Air and Asiana Airlines merger, with a process underway to transfer slots and traffic rights on 10 of these routes—including Seattle, Honolulu, Jakarta, and Seoul Gimpo-Jeju—to alternative airlines. Transfers for the remaining 18 routes were scheduled to begin in 1H20261.