The European Commission has postponed its final decision on the sale of Ita to Lufthansa until July 4th. This comes after Lufthansa sent a corrective offer to the Commission, which they describe as significantly improved. The offer addresses concerns raised by the Commission regarding short and long-haul flights, as well as concentration at Milan Linate airport. The Commission will now take time to analyze the proposals presented before making a decision.
The dispute between Lufthansa and Ita centers around potential market dominance that Lufthansa may have on certain routes, especially those from Milan city airport. Lufthansa already owns Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Swiss, and Eurowings. Low-cost carriers like Ryanair and EasyJet are interested in potential slot transfers at Fiumicino and Linate airports.
Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr is optimistic about the merger, highlighting benefits for consumers, Ita, Lufthansa, and increased competition in the Italian market. On the other hand, Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary sees the merger as necessary for Ita’s sustainability.
The Vice President of the European Commission Margrethe Vestager warns that serious competition problems must be resolved for the transaction to be approved. Ita’s president Antonino Turicchi believes they have addressed the Commission’s concerns and is hopeful for approval.
The situation surrounding the merger between Ita and Lufthansa remains complex with stakeholders closely watching developments online gaming websites are also featured in this content