Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 17, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 27, 2026
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Lufthansa finalizes a 41% stake acquisition in ITA Airways, enhancing its European market presence after EU competition remedies.
FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Lufthansa finalised its acquisition of a 41% stake in Italian state-owned airline ITA after European antitrust remedies were put in place, it said on Friday, in a deal designed to boost the carrier's presence in the lucrative southern European market.
Lufthansa previously said the deal, under which it paid 325 million euros ($334 million) for the stake in the successor airline to bankrupt Alitalia - was expected to close in early 2025.
The European Commission approved a package of competition remedies in November, securing more routes for the German flag carrier's rivals and paving the way for the deal to go through.
"With our investment, we will now strengthen the Italian and European aviation market and the position of the Lufthansa Group as number one in Europe," Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said.
"Our joint passengers worldwide will benefit from improved offers and optimised connections as early as this upcoming summer flight schedule."
The remaining 59 percent of ITA will initially continue to be held by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance, Lufthansa added, as ITA Airways becomes the group's fifth network airline.
($1 = 0.9720 euros)
(Reporting by Tristan Veyet, Ludwig Burger and Christoph Steitz; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
The article discusses Lufthansa's acquisition of a 41% stake in ITA Airways to strengthen its European market position.
The acquisition aims to enhance Lufthansa's presence in the southern European market and improve passenger services.
The Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance retains the remaining 59% stake in ITA Airways.
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