The merger between Korean Air and Asiana Airlines continues to plod along, with further agreements in place as the airlines head towards the integrated operations date.
Both Korean Air’s board of directors and Asiana Airlines’ shareholders have formally approved the merger agreement, finalising a major milestone as the two airlines prepare to launch an integrated airline on December 17, 2026.
Korean Air’s board ratified the merger agreement on August 12, fulfilling small-scale merger requirements under Article 527-3 of Korea’s Commercial Act. Concurrently, Asiana Airlines secured shareholder approval during an extraordinary general meeting, with 81.86% shareholder attendance and 99.3% (167,436,677 shares) voting in favour.
These approvals formally ratify the merger agreement executed by both boards in May 2026.
Following creditor protection procedures and remaining administrative formalities, the corporate merger registration will be completed on 17th December 2026.
Towards the combined day one
It’s been a long road since the initial merger announcement was made in November 2020, as it has sought approvals, provided assurances and sold off parts to meet regulators’ needs and desires.
Korean Air is working on its Post-Merger Integration roadmap, with the airline proceeding with Air Operator Certificate amendments and international operational permits in close consultation with relevant authorities.
With merger approvals finalised, the two airlines are now accelerating operational readiness, focusing on systems integration, joint training, and team engagement ahead of the formal launch of the combined airline.
For frequent flyers, there’s plenty of work to do too, with Asiana’s frequent flyer programme winding down, with limited redemption availability and the airline itself exiting from Star Alliance on 16th December 2026, 23:59 Korea Standard Time.
As usual, plan ahead.
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