US/South Korea: Delta, Korean Air plan joint venture

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines and Seoul-based Korean Air have signed a memorandum of understanding to form an antitrust-immunized transpacific joint venture.

The SkyTeam members intend “to create a fully integrated transpacific joint venture arrangement, with both airlines sharing the costs and revenues on flights and coordinating schedules for seamless, convenient connections,” Delta and Korean Air said in a joint statement.

The carriers’ combined network reaches 290 destinations in the Americas and more than 80 in Asia. The JV will enable Delta and Korean Air passengers to earn reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, the airlines said.

The carriers had indicated they were exploring an expanded partnership in September 2016 when Delta announced plans to launch daily Boeing 777-200LR flights between Atlanta and Seoul Incheon from June 3, 2017, and expand codesharing with Korean Air, which already operates daily Seoul Incheon-Atlanta 777-300ER flights.

“This agreement deepens our longstanding partnership with Korean Air and will provide the global access and seamless service our customers demand,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a March 29 statement.

Full Content: Flight Global

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