So, Korean Air's been pushing back their buyback of the remaining 80% of Korean Air C&D Service. This buyback was supposed to be done by June 1, then got pushed to July 31. Now they've moved it again to August 31, 2026. They're blaming the delay on waiting for the South Korean Fair Trade Commission to give the green light.
This deal's worth about USD525 million, so it's not small potatoes. Once it's wrapped up, Korean Air will own 100% of the inflight catering and duty-free sales biz. I'm guessing they really want to control that part of their operations, especially with how important catering is to the overall passenger experience.
But I wonder if these delays are a sign of deeper issues, or just bureaucratic red tape? Do you guys think owning 100% of their catering and duty-free is going to give Korean Air a big advantage? Or is it just more of a headache for them? Curious to hear what you all think about the impact of this delay on their business strategy.
This deal's worth about USD525 million, so it's not small potatoes. Once it's wrapped up, Korean Air will own 100% of the inflight catering and duty-free sales biz. I'm guessing they really want to control that part of their operations, especially with how important catering is to the overall passenger experience.
But I wonder if these delays are a sign of deeper issues, or just bureaucratic red tape? Do you guys think owning 100% of their catering and duty-free is going to give Korean Air a big advantage? Or is it just more of a headache for them? Curious to hear what you all think about the impact of this delay on their business strategy.