The European Commission announced on Tuesday that it has opened an investigation into Deutsche Lufthansa AG's proposed acquisition of Italia Trasporto Aereo S.p.A. (ITA Airways). In May 2023, Lufthansa bought a 41% stake in ITA Airways for €325 million from the Italian government, with the option to acquire the rest at a later date.
The Commission said it has "preliminary concerns that the transaction may reduce competition in the market for passenger air transport services," including on short-haul routes connecting Italy with central Europe and long-haul routes between Italy and North America. The deadline for a decision on the matter is June 6.
