The agreement for a merger between ITA
Airways and Lufthansa was reportedly put on ice during talks
overnight between the German carrier and the Italian economy
ministry (MEF), which owns the company that replaced the
loss-making former flag-carrier Alitalia in 2021.
Daily newspaper Corriere della Sera's website, Corriere.it,
reportedly that Lufthansa asked to "revise downwards" the figure
of the 829 million euros for the entire acquisition but the MEF
said no.
According to an agreement reached last year, the German airline
was set to acquire from a 41% stake in ITA from MEF through a
325-million-euro capital increase, with the stake set to rise to
100% in a second phase - by 2033 - for a total investment of 829
million.
The signed documentation on the agreement was meant to have been
delivered to Brussels on Monday for the European Commission to
assess it in view of final approval.
The documents were signed by the Italian and German airlines and
rival carriers easyJet, Air France and Iag - which are part of
the slot agreement that the Commission laid down as a condition
for its approval - but MEF's signature was missing, sources
said.
Lufthansa told ANSA on Tuesday that it "adheres to the 2023
agreement with the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance to
acquire a 41% stake in ITA Airways" and "has signed the
necessary corrective measures package within the agreed
deadline".
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
