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The Lufthansa group and the Italian government have officially notified the European Commission of an agreement that allows the German company to acquire a minority stake in ITA Airways.
Under the terms of the deal reached in May, Lufthansa plans to get a 41% stake in the Italian national carrier, with an option to gain majority control.
Lufthansa chief executive Carsten Spohr had previously cited ITA’s relatively low share of the Italian market as a reason why competition issues should not be significant and said he hoped clearance could come from before year-end.
However, reports subsequently emerged at September’s G20 summit of Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s frustrations over the Commission’s approach, and asked about progress during a third quarter results call earlier this month, Spohr said it was in ”close and daily constructive dialogue” with the Commission to address potential competition issues ahead of submitting formal notification.
Italy’s Ministry of Finance announced on Nov. 30 that it had officially informed European festival regulators about the proposed transaction.
ITA was established three years ago as a successor to Alitalia and took the latter’s place in the SkyTeam alliance. The carrier would move into Star Alliance and provide Lufthansa with a southern European base at Rome to complement the group’s existing hubs at Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna and Brussels.
The planned new national carrier, KM Malta Airlines, will open its doors to bookings in December after obtaining its air operator’s certificate.
European budget airline Volotea has appointed David González, Chief Commercial Officer, to the newly created role of CEO, where he will coordinate the company’s global commercial, strategic, operational and cargo activities.
Russia’s government has ordered a restructuring of the Cypriot-based management company overseeing St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport, to bring it under a domestic holding. The changes are detailed in a Russian presidential decree, issued on 30 November, which states that “special economic measures” are being applied to the field of air …
In an effort to link up more closely, Canadian airlines Air Transat and Porter Airlines are offering a “strong third option” to Air Canada and WestJet.
US start-up carrier Connect Airlines is pushing back against aviation regulators for allegedly stifling its ambitions of launching flights between Canada and the USA and decarbonising regional air travel with hydrogen propulsion technology.
The general director of Avianca, Adrián Neuhauser, will take charge of the Abra Group, owner of Avianca and the Brazilian Gol, in January, while he will continue to be executive vice president of the board of directors of the Colombian airline.
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