[Yonhap News Photo]
SEOUL -- An aviation joint venture between Korean Air and Delta Air Lines received conditional approval after regulators concluded it would provide customers with diverse travel options and convenience, transport authorities said Thursday.
Korean Air welcomed the green light from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, saying the joint venture would be put into service probably in the first half of this year.
In July last year, the two airlines set up a joint venture to jointly operate Asia-Pacific routes connecting 271 American destinations and 77 cities in Asia. They received approval from U.S. authorities in November, but South Korea has awaited an answer from anti-trust regulators.
The ministry said it has approved the joint venture because passengers will get more benefits such as shortened transit time and added routes and schedules. However, there should be no change in the total number of seats on U.S.-South Korea routes, the ministry said, adding the two airlines should not reduce the existing number of seats supplied on five routes from Incheon to Seattle, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Detroit
and Washington.
Korean Air hopes its partnership with the world's largest carrier will create a synergy effect and attract more customers.
Under a joint venture, the highest level of partnership in the aviation industry, airlines can launch joint marketing and share revenue. Code sharing allows carriers to share the same flight and an alliance arrangement allows airlines to share mileage and lounge services.
Korean Air hopes its partnership with the world's largest carrier would create a synergy effect and attract more customers. 
