Four South Korean budget airlines submit bids for Asiana cargo unit, sources say (updated)

ASIANA AIRLINES

25/04/2024 08:28

(Changes attribution; adds background, paragraph 5)
       SEOUL, April 25 (Reuters) - Four South Korean low-cost
carriers remain in the race to buy Asiana Airlines'  020560.KS 
cargo business, two people with knowledge of the matter said on
Thursday. 
    Jeju Air  089590.KS , Eastar Jet, Air Premia and Air Incheon
submitted bids in the second round of bidding for the business,
the people said, declining to be identified as they were not
authorised to speak to media about the deal.
    Jeju Air and Air Premia declined to comment.
    Spokespeople for Eastar Jet and Air Incheon could not be
immediately reached for comment.
    Korean Air  003490.KS , South Korea's biggest carrier, is
set to purchase nearly two-thirds of Asiana for about $1.4
billion, but EU antitrust authorities have stipulated that
Asiana's cargo business must be sold before they will give their
approval.
    Online media Yonhap Infomax earlier reported the remaining
bidders citing unnamed investment banking sources.

 (Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and
Christopher Cushing)
 ((joyce.lee@tr.com;))