Lufthansa cleared to take over ITA Airways
Lufthansa has received permission from the European Commission to acquire all remaining shares in Italian airline ITA Airways.
“The approval from Brussels is excellent news for ITA Airways and Lufthansa and especially for all passengers flying to and from Italy,” said Carsten Spohr, CEO of Lufthansa. We look forward to welcoming ITA Airways and its outstanding employees as a new member of our airline family very soon. The decision is also a clear signal for strong air traffic in Europe, which can successfully assert itself in global competition.”
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Born from the ashes of former flag-carrier Alitalia, ITA Airways was established in 2020 with tickets going on sale in August 2021 and flights commencing in December of that year.
Lufthansa bought a 41% share of the new airline from the Italian government in 2022, and signalled an interest in acquiring the rest. As permission to do so has now been granted, the full takeover process can now be started. As part of this, the airline is expected to leave SkyTeam and join Star Alliance in due course.
Italy is already the second most important market for Lufthansa outside its home markets after the USA. In terms of gross domestic product, Italy is the third largest economy in Europe with a strongly export-oriented economy and one of the most popular vacation destinations worldwide.