The deal to finalize Lufthansa Group’s acquisition of an initial stake in ITA Airways
has been delayed due to a disagreement about the responsibilities and authority of the incoming chief executive officer (CEO) and the president of the Italian company.
Power struggle
According to a report by Italy-based Corriere Della Sera, which cited sources familiar with the matter, Lufthansa Group
and the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (Ministero dell’Economia e delle Finanze, MEF) have failed to agree on the authority and resposibilities of ITA Airways’ new CEO, appointed by the group, and president, designated by the MEF.
As a result, the finalization of the group’s acquisition of an initial stake in ITA Airways, 41% for €325 million ($333.3 million), has been postponed to at least January 15, the Corriere Della Sera report added.
Photo: Karolis Kavolelis | Shutterstock
Previous reports from the Italian outlet pointed out that Jörg Eberhart, the former CEO of Air Dolomiti
, an Italy-based regional carrier owned by Lufthansa Group, and the current head of strategy of the group, is set to become the chief executive of ITA Airways.
Reuters previously reported that Lufthansa Group was supposed to close the acquisition of the 41% stake on January 13, allowing the German group to finally begin integrating the Italian airline into its multi-brand, multi-hub strategy, resulting in Rome Leonardo da Vinci International Airport
(FCO) becoming its sixth network airline hub.

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Previous disagreements
The power struggle has not been the only hurdle that the two parties, Lufthansa Group and the MEF, the principal owner of ITA Airways, had to sort out before they could finalize the initial phase of the merger between the group and the Italian airline.
The issue was quickly resolved in November 2024, when the two sides finally agreed that no changes would be made to the economic conditions of the deal, including the €325 million ($333.3 million) price for the 41% stake in ITA Airways.
Photo: samfotograf | Shutterstock
On November 11, the MEF issued a statement that the two stakeholders involved in the transaction presented their remedy measures, including takers like easyJet, to the European Commission (EC) to alleviate its competition concerns.
“The final approval of the European Commission is awaited with confidence to proceed with the closing of the operation. The expected economic conditions have not undergone changes compared to the agreement already signed.”

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easyJet Opens 16 Routes At New Milan Linate Base Through ITA Airways-Lufthansa Deal
In total, easyJet has unveiled 25 new routes from Milan Linate Airport, Milan Malpensa Airport, and Rome Fiumicino International Airport.
Never needing state aid
On November 12, 2024, the MEF reviewed its work from the past two years since the government, led by Georgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, a member of the conservative Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d’Italia, FdI) party, took over the reins of the country, including the Ministry responsible for Italy’s finances.
The MEF pointed out the divestiture of ITA Airways as one of the highlight-worthy moments of its tenure, noting that the Lufthansa Group’s purchase of the Italian airline’s 41% shares through a capital increase will conclude a 40-year history of wasting taxpayers’ money.
Photo: Davide Calabresi | Shutterstock
The Ministry said that, unlike Alitalia, which had been liquidated and replaced by ITA Airways, and with the EC concluding that the latter is not an economic successor of the former, it “will never need state aid.”
On November 29, 2024, Giancarlo Giorgetti, the Italian Minister of Economy and Finance, said that after the EC’s final approval for the Lufthansa Group-ITA Airways deal to go through, the transaction entered its final stage.
Lufthansa Group announced the merger agreement in May 2023, notifying the EC of the acquisition in November 2023. The Commission, which initially expressed concerns about the effects the merger would have on competition on intra-European and long-haul flights from/to Italy, approved the transaction with certain competition-related conditions in July 2024.

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Lufthansa Group Reaches Agreement With Italian Government For ITA Airways
Lufthansa Group and MEF, the owner of ITA Airways, agreed to finalize the merger and sent its remedy package to the European Commission.