On May 25, 2023 Deutsche Lufthansa AG reached an agreement with the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (Ministero dell’Economia e delle Finanze, MEF) to acquire a
minority stake in the Italian national carrier ITA Airways (Italia Trasporto Aereo
S.p.A.). Lufthansa acquires a 41% stake in ITA for EUR 325m. As part of this agreement the MEF has also committed a EUR 250m into ITA.
The acquisition of the minority stake is subject to regulatory approval. Lufthansa has announced upon closing of the deal ITA Airways and Lufthansa Group are expected to immediately start their cooperation at commercial and operational level. As a network airline ITA Airways will work with Lufthansa Group closely to benefit from group synergies.
ITA Airways will be the fifth network carrier in Lufthansa Group’s multi brand and multi hub network.
Carsten Spohr, Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Lufthansa AG says: “Today’s agreement will lead to a win-win situation for Italy, ITA Airways and Lufthansa Group. And it is good news for Italian consumers and for Europe, because a stronger ITA will invigorate competition in the Italian market. As a young company with a modern fleet, and with its efficient and expanding hub in Rome, ITA is a perfect fit for Lufthansa Group. In Milan, ITA serves a strong catchment area which also offers potential for growth. As part of the Lufthansa Group family, ITA can develop into a sustainable and profitable airline, connecting Italy with Europe and the world. At the same time, this investment will enable us to continue our growth in one of our most important markets.”
ITA Airways was founded in November 2020 and has approximately 4,000 employees today. Headquartered in Rome, the airline welcomes more than 10 million passengers per year and is running a modern fleet of 66 Airbus aircraft. The hub in Rome is ideally situated to further diversify ITA’s network towards Africa and Latin America, offering its customers an improved connectivity to the Southern hemisphere. Currently, ITA serves 64 destinations: 21 domestic, 33 international and 10 intercontinental routes.
As part of Lufthansa Group, ITA will remain a standalone airline with its own management and a strong brand identity – in line with Lufthansa Group’s successful multi-hub, multi-brand and multi-AOC strategy. At the same time, ITA can benefit from synergies of the Group, such as access to the partner network, central revenue management and the use of Lufthansa Group’s global sales and marketing channels.