Ita takeover by Lufthansa: Brussels has concerns

The European Commission appears to have far more concerns about Lufthansa's planned takeover of Ita Airways than previously known. A decision before the end of 2024 is now considered almost impossible.

The EU Commission is likely to take into account various circumstances in previous takeovers that were made by the Lufthansa Group, but conditions or concessions were subsequently not very successful, but rather consolidated the feared monopoly position on many routes. It has already been made public that the discontinuation of North American routes from Germany is a requirement.

Just a few days ago, various unions spoke out clearly in favor of Lufthansa and demanded that Brussels simply wave the deal through. The current situation is complicated for Ita Airways because it recently received another loan from the government. If the sales process, the review of which is still in a preliminary stage, drags on even longer, things could become financially tight for the Italian carrier. There is also at least the theoretical risk that Lufthansa could walk away as a buyer.