The European Union has delayed its final decision on the sale of Ita to Lufthansa until July 4th. This comes after Lufthansa submitted a corrected offer to the European Commission, which it describes as significantly improved. The offer was made in response to concerns raised by the Commission regarding short and long-haul flights, as well as concentration at Milan Linate airport.
The dispute over the potential market dominance that Lufthansa may have on certain routes remains at the center of the discussion. Lufthansa already owns Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Swiss, and Eurowings, and low-cost carriers like Ryanair and EasyJet are interested in potential slot transfers at Fiumicino and Linate airports. Meanwhile, Ita’s president, Antonino Turicchi, believes they have addressed the Commission’s concerns and is hopeful for approval.
Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary sees the merger as essential for Ita’s sustainability, while Carsten Spohr, CEO of Lufthansa, is optimistic about the benefits for consumers and increased competition in the Italian market. However, Margrethe Vestager, Vice President of the European Commission, warns that serious competition problems must be resolved for the transaction to be approved.
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