Virgin Atlantic has been given the green light to launch services to the South Korean capital of Seoul, thanks to a competition ruling.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has issued its ruling about the proposed merger of Korean Air and Asiana and named Virgin as the “proposed remedy taker”.
Korean Air announced its acquisition of Asiana in November 2020 and has since been negotiating with antitrust authorities in the two airlines’ destinations.
The CMA warned in November 2022 that a merger of the two Korean carriers could see passengers paying more to fly from London to South Korea.
Now the competition watchdog says Virgin Atlantic can use slots at Heathrow to offer seven flights a week to Incheon airport in Seoul.
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: “Air passengers deserve a choice when flying. We believe that a fair and competitive market is essential for the aviation industry to evolve and thrive.
“We welcome the CMA’s decision regarding Virgin Atlantic’s role as the remedy taker in the Korean Air and Asiana merger, which will facilitate our entry into Seoul.
“We are excited to be appointed as the remedy taker to start flying to Seoul and will confirm our next steps in relation to a route start-up in due course.”
More: Airline merger could mean higher London-South Korea fares