(Finance) – We continue to negotiate and everything is still possible. If the obstacles regarding the slots at Milan-Linate and the opening of the European routes to rivals have been resolved, the last issue to be resolved for Brussels’ yes to the agreement between Ita and Lufthansa – according to what we learn from EU sources close to the dossier who note “progress in the ongoing negotiations” – are the long-haul flights from Fiumicino to the United States.
The EU Antitrust aims to decide within the week, but the direction could only be clear after the European elections. The announcement of the verdict is, however, expected between the end of June and the beginning of July, a few days before the deadline set for July 4th.
Come on connections to North America, the EU Antitrust asks the German carrier to temporarily maintain separate operations with United – currently part of the joint venture that Lufthansa also forms with Canada Airlines – on 5 routes between Fiumicino and Chicago, Washington, San Francisco and Toronto. The solution requires a further sacrifice on the part of Carsten Spohr’s company, which should intervene on its already solid commercial alliance. Until now, the crane company had proposed to Brussels to freeze ITA’s entry into the joint venture for two years. The white smoke will largely depend on Lufthansa’s willingness to accept the compromise. (
“In my opinion it should have closed six months ago. Today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow. As soon as possible because we need to understand what the future of Ita could be – stated the Minister Minister of Economy and Finance, Giancarlo Giorgetti –. It is in the interest of Ita, Lufthansa, of consumers, of Europe. We await the Commission’s decision that Europe has a major European competitor. We are waiting for the Commission’s decision, they are the referees, they are reviewing the VAR and then they will decide.”