Three budget airlines to become one

Three high-profile low-cost air carriers in South Korea will soon be just one. 

Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul will merge into a single airline, news hub Travel Mole reports. 

The trio will become a single entity on March 17, 2027, creating the country’s largest budget carrier.

The airlines’ boards approved the merger agreement this month but the deal still requires shareholder approval in December and regulatory clearances before the new airline can begin operating.

The combined carrier will operate under the Jin Air name, while the Air Busan and Air Seoul brands will disappear.

The merger follows the planned integration of parent companies Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. 

Korean Air is scheduled to complete its merger with Asiana on December 17, 2026. 

The three low-cost airlines had a combined fleet of 58 aircraft at the end of 2025. That would put the new carrier ahead of T’way Air and Jeju Air by fleet size, making it South Korea’s biggest LCC.

Jin Air plans to combine the three airlines’ fleets, routes, maintenance operations and other resources to generate economies of scale. 

Thailand poised to give go ahead to casinos

Thailand is set to give the go-ahead to gambling and introduce casinos.

The Asian nation's cabinet this week approved a bill to legalise casino gambling.

The draft bill will now be assessed by the Council of State before debating it the lower house of parliament, said Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

The bill allows for gambling only within Las Vegas-style integrated resorts which feature various non-gaming facilities such as hotels, convention centres, shopping and theme park attractions, news portal Travel Mole reported.

Melco, Galaxy Entertainment and MGM Resorts are among the companies said to be showing interest in operating casino resorts.

The business community has lauded the decision as a boon for domestic tourism growth and the economy in general.

Casinos and most forms of gambling are currently illegal in Thailand, but soccer betting and underground gaming activities and lotteries are rife, with huge sums of money changing hands.

Well-regulated integrated gambling facilities already operate in Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

Japan has approved a similar bill to establish integrated casino resorts.

Image: Calanda McIester, Scop.io

Qatar deal gets go ahead in boost for Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways have been given the go ahead to start selling 28 weekly return flights between Doha and Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

The Australian consumer watchdog, the ACCC, has granted interim approval to Virgin and Qatar, allowing them to engage in cooperative conduct under an integrated alliance.

The ACCC has also accepted a court enforceable undertaking from Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways in relation to the conduct.

Under the interim authorisation, Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways can commence marketing and tickets.

The new services will be in addition to the international services already operated by Qatar Airways.

The airlines sought urgent interim authorisation to enable Virgin Australia to start flying its new Australia-Doha services from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in June 2025, with Perth services to follow in November 2025.

”We consider that granting interim authorisation now will allow Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia the lead time to undertake the necessary planning discussions, marketing, selling and system alignment in preparation for Virgin Australia to commence flying the new services by June 2025,” ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said

The new services will be offered subject to final regulatory approval by the ACCC and other government bodies.

The undertaking accepted by the ACCC today ensures that if final regulatory approval is ultimately not granted, then customers who have booked these proposed new services would be protected.

“Affected customers will be given the option of a refund or re-accommodation on a suitable alternative flight at no additional charge and would not be out of pocket for any reasonably foreseeable costs if these proposed new services ultimately don’t get approved,” Keogh said.

“Having this court-enforceable undertaking that protects customers was important to our decision to allow Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways to start selling tickets now.”

Under the proposed arrangements, Virgin Australia would use Qatar Airways craft and crew to operate the new services. This is known in the aviation industry as a ‘wetlease’ arrangement.

“We are carefully considering the concerns that interested parties have raised, particularly around the wetlease arrangements and the impact of the proposed exclusivity arrangements between Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways,” Keogh said.

Under the proposed arrangements Velocity members will continue to be able to earn and redeem Velocity points on Singapore Airlines’ operated services globally, including to and from Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Virgin Australia’s arrangements with South African Airways and Virgin Atlantic would be unchanged.

Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia have sought authorisation for five years.

The ACCC is expected to release a draft determination in February 2025.

There was no explicit mention made in the ACCC release of granting approval for Qatar Airways' proposed 25% purchase in VA.