(Finance) – “In a case like this” by Ita-Lufthansa “We have competition problems. There is a risk that prices will rise and frequencies will fall.” The Vice President of the European Commission said this, Margrethe Vestager, responding to a question on the ongoing negotiations to approve the wedding between the German company and the newco, underlining that “it is up to the companies to illustrate how to prevent this from happening. And this is the process we are in now. No decision has been made” .
“It’s a very important merger for Italians too who want to travel”Vestager remarked again.
On the Lufhtansa-Ita operation “there is a very important discussion in Italy and I also see it in the Italian press but it is an important fusion also for Italians who want to travel. What we do when such a situation emerges is to analyze the different aspects, what will happen, whether there will be a risk of fewer connections, of higher prices, both at a national level, but obviously also if you want to fly, for example, to the United States United,” he added.
Marriage between Ita and Lufthansa still uncertain, therefore, with Matteo Salvini who meanwhile warns: “If anyone in these hours is working to blow up the operation it is a hostile act towards Italy and the Italians”, attacks Salvini, denouncing that “it would be yet another demonstration that a In Brussels there are citizens of series A and series B”, said the Minister in the aftermath of the face-to-face meeting in Brussels between the Minister of Economy, Giancarlo Giorgetti, and the EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, which ended with a new gray smoke. For the EU Commission, the latest package of commitments on slots and routes presented “is not yet sufficient”, but the parties still have time to make improvements.
The verdict is expected on July 4. The Commission “has doubts about various aspects, they are evaluating carefully and want to understand some things better, but we are available for any clarification”, said the president of Ita Airways, Antonino Turicchi, underlining that “this is an operation in favor of the market , which does not compromise competition”
“We have given figures to show how our country is sufferingn terms of connectivity, because out of 20 million people who connect from Italy only 9 and a half million manage to do so directly, while 10.5 million have to do so indirectly”. Therefore “compared to the rest of Europe we have 20 to 30% less direct traffic”, e “this is a handicap that we must be able to overcome with the agreement with Lufthansa”explained Turicchi