Italian airline ITA Airways is a new member of the Lufthansa Group after the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and Europe’s leading aviation group jointly completed the transaction.
The Lufthansa Group now holds a 41% stake in ITA Airways. The remaining 59% will initially continue to be held by the MEF.
In May 2023, both parties had already agreed on the acquisition of the 41% minority stake. The European Commission most recently approved the completion of the share acquisition by approving the competition concessions on 29 November 2024. Other competition authorities outside the EU have now also approved the investment.
The first investment step was completed today through a capital increase of 325 million euros. Options for the acquisition of the remaining shares in ITA Airways have been agreed between the Lufthansa Group and the MEF and can be exercised as of this year. With the transaction, ITA Airways is formally part of the Lufthansa Group and its fifth network airline.
Carsten Spohr, CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, said “We are proud to finally be able to welcome ITA Airways to the Lufthansa Group.
“I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this, especially of course in Rome, Brussels, Berlin and Frankfurt.
“The ITA Airways team has written an impressive success story in recent years and, with great energy, passion and expertise, has built an airline that is already the pride of an entire nation. We are delighted to continue this success story together with ITA Airways.
“With our participation, we are now strengthening the Italian and European aviation market and the position of the Lufthansa Group as number one in Europe. Our joint guests worldwide will benefit from the first improved offers and optimised connections as early as the summer flight schedule.”
Italy will thus become another “home market” for the Lufthansa Group. After the USA, the country is already the second most important international market for the company outside of the existing home markets of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Belgium. The five-star Rome Fiumicino airport will be the Lufthansa Group’s sixth and geographically southernmost hub. Milan Linate will play a prominent role in the Group as a metropolitan airport in economically strong northern Italy with the second largest catchment area in the EU.
Following the integration, in the coming weeks ITA Airways frequent flyers will be able to collect their points or miles either in ITA Airways’ existing “Volare” program or with Miles & More, the Lufthansa Group’s loyalty program. Miles & More participants will also have the opportunity to collect and redeem miles on ITA Airways flights. Further cooperations such as joint codeshare connections, mutual use of the respective lounges and the planned inclusion in the Star Alliance airline alliance are to follow gradually. Details will be communicated to customers and partners in good time.
ITA Airways has been growing as a young airline since it began flight operations in 2021. Its modern, environmentally friendly Airbus fleet currently includes 99 aircraft, including 22 long-haul aircraft of the Airbus A350-900, Airbus A330-900neo and A330-200 types. ITA Airways flies to almost 70 destinations around the world. In 2024, the airline welcomed around 18 million passengers on board its aircraft.
Jörg Eberhart will be the new Chief Executive Officer of ITA Airways, taking over the tasks previously performed by Antonino Turicchi and Andrea Benassi on an interim basis.
Lorenza Maggio takes over the position of Chief Strategy and Integration Officer. Michael Trestl will be responsible for the holistic integration of ITA Airways into the Lufthansa Group as “ITA Implementation Officer” and will move from Austrian Airlines to the Group headquarters in Frankfurt. Trestl has been Chief Commercial Officer at Austrian Airlines since 2021.
“I am delighted that we have been able to appoint two managers from our own ranks, Jörg Eberhart and Lorenza Maggio, to the management of ITA Airways,” added Spohr.
“With their extensive experience and expertise, they will continue ITA Airways’ successful course and quickly integrate the airline into the Lufthansa Group. In addition, Michael Trestl, an experienced airline manager, will take on the task of integration within the group.”
