German aviation giant Lufthansa is set to acquire a 41% minority stake in ITA, Italy’s state-owned airline, on January 13, after years of negotiations. The deal was confirmed by Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr during an internal event, according to sources close to the airline.
While neither ITA nor the Italian government have officially confirmed the date, reports indicate that Lufthansa will initially invest €325 million ($335 million) for its stake.
The agreement with Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance outlines a path for Lufthansa to take full control of ITA in two further phases by 2033, with an additional €830 million potentially involved.
The European Commission has closely monitored the transaction, imposing strict conditions to preserve competition on both European and intercontinental routes. As part of the deal, Lufthansa has agreed to give up takeoff and landing rights at Milan-Malpensa and Rome-Fiumicino airports, where EasyJet, a British low-cost carrier, plans to start operations in the spring.
Additionally, Lufthansa negotiated agreements with its competitors, including Air France-KLM and IAG (which includes British Airways and Iberia), to offer preferential conditions for their passengers traveling from Italy to hubs in Paris and London.
