The planned takeover of Ita Airways by Lufthansa could be associated with painful conditions for the German aviation group. The EU Commission is demanding that the offer to Asia and North America be reduced from the Frankfurt and Munich hubs.

Specifically, Lufthansa must hand over take-off and landing rights to competitors. This would hit the Kranich Group hard, as it is precisely these routes that are considered particularly lucrative due to high demand. According to a report in the Italian newspaper “Il Sole 24 Ore”, the EU Commission only wants to approve the planned takeover under strict conditions.

Lufthansa does not want to comment on the events surrounding the test. The green light is still expected towards the beginning of 2024. Formally, this is a so-called pre-notification procedure in which the conditions are explored. The intended transaction has not yet been officially registered.

It is noteworthy that Lufthansa recently said in its official communication that it expected release before the end of 2023. Now we are talking about “beginning of 2024”. It was only recently announced that extensive documents must be submitted. This also includes planning for catering on board.