Delta Air Lines and Korean Air’s transpacific network JV has been cleared to proceed after being approved by South Korean regulators. The approval from Seoul follows US DoT approval that was granted in Nov 2017. The transport ministry says that the two carriers will be required to maintain their present level of capacity on US routes, and it will be subject to a review after 3 years. The two airlines say the joint venture will give passengers seamless connections to 290 destinations in the Americas, and 80 across Asia. It will see the carriers optimise their schedules, undertake joint marketing and sales activity, improve loyalty programme benefits and integrate their IT services. Delta CE Ed Bastian has previously indicated that the carriers will start working together shortly after securing regulatory approval from Seoul. <br/>
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China Eastern Airlines lifted annual profit to its highest level in more than 20 years, helped by a stronger yuan, improved passenger yields and asset sales. The airline said that profit attributable to shareholders rose by 40.9% year on year to CNY6.35b (US$1b), the highest since at least 1996. This was, however, lower than the CNY6.47b average forecast from 16 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. The airline's revenue rose 3.2% to CNY101.72b, helped by a 9.3% rise in revenue passenger kilometre and 0.2% rise in passenger yields. The company also said financing expenses had fallen sharply thanks to the yuan's appreciation against the US dollar. Its competitors Air China and China Southern Airlines also missed analyst expectations this week despite rising earnings. <br/>
Air France expects to operate 76% of its flights during a planned March 30 strike by the carrier’s pilots, cabin and ground crew personnel. The airline said 80% of its long-haul flights and 70% of its medium-haul flights to and from Air France’s Paris-Charles de Gaulle hub will be operational. The carrier also plans to operate 80% of its short-haul flights. Staffing, however, will be tight. Air France said it expects 31.6% of pilots, 28.3% of cabin crew and 20.4% of ground staff will work on the day of the strike. “Disruptions and delays are to be expected,” the airline said. The strike comes at the outset of the Easter holiday weekend. Other airlines in the Air France-KLM Group, including KLM and regional carrier HOP!, will be unaffected by the action. <br/>