Lufthansa is also examining its own participation in the ITA takeover
Created: 01/25/2022, 11:28 am
An Airbus A320 of the new Italian airline Ita Airways is parked at Fiumicino Airport near Rome.
© Roberto Monaldo/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa/Archive
In the planned takeover of Alitalia's successor, ITA, the Lufthansa Group is also considering investing with its own capital.
A company spokesman said on Tuesday in Frankfurt that the 90-day period would be used to review all options, including participation.
The day before, the world's largest shipping company MSC had declared its intention to take over the majority of ITA, with Lufthansa as a "commercial partner".
Rome/Geneva/Frankfurt – Lufthansa had previously ruled out a direct stake in the airline, which is still state-owned.
MSC and Lufthansa have requested 90 working days for exclusive talks on the potential deal.
The ITA Board of Directors is expected to review the details of the expression of interest at an upcoming meeting, it said.
ITA started on October 15 as the successor to Alitalia after the traditional Italian airline was no longer viable due to years of losses.
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ITA Chairman of the Board of Directors Alfredo Altavilla already celebrated the offer as a great success because it succeeded in arousing the interest of Lufthansa and MSC.
The industrial logic of the offer is "very convincing" and "extremely interesting", emphasized Altavilla in an interview with the "Handelsblatt".
He sees opportunities in the transportation of MSC's cruise customers as well as in the cargo area.
Although the shipping company is headquartered in Geneva, it is owned by a family of Italian origin.
dpa
