“We don't have a plan B because we strongly believe in Plan A”: with these words the President of Ita Airways, Antonino Turicchi updates on Lufthansa's entry into the company, currently still 100% controlled by the Ministry of Economy – showing optimism that in the endand the operation will be successful. We are convinced that the operation still has a high probability. We strongly believe in this marriage,” said Turicchi. “If he marries her – he added with a joke – she starts looking left and right, she's a bride chat.”
Ita-Lufthansa, wedding has to happen
The Commission, in particular, fears that, after the operation, customers may face an increase in prices or a decline in the quality of services. “What I can say is that on the part of the two shareholders, Mef and Lufthansa there is a strong commitment to studying the solutions”, Turicchi clarified again, answering a question on the objections advanced by the European Commission on the operation with Lufthansa. “The objections – he added – they are not a definitive aspect, but they are part of a process initiated by European Commission”.
“We still have strong elementsto be put on the table to highlight that competition is increasing and not decreasing”, continued Turicchi who spoke of an operation carried out “not to save Ita – he added – but to lead to the growth of Eng and make it more competitive, born from sharing a non-bailout development plan. This is an element to highlight in discussions with Brussels.”
The Brussels reliefs
In the past few hours, even the Ministry of Economicsa è Finanza announced that it had received the findings of the European Commission on the acquisition of a percentage of Ita Airways dapart from Lufthansa. “The MEF will continue to work on the dossier in order to present the remedies as quickly as possible to reach a positive solution to the issue,” we read in a note. The European Commission has in fact raised some doubts about the operation, underlining the risk that it could “limit competition for some routes on the transport services market transportor passenger plane in Italy and abroad”.
The accounts improve in 2023
Meanwhile, good news comes from Ita Airways' accounts in 2023. The company closed the financial statements with a red of 5 million euros. Total revenues were equal to 2.4 billion while Ebitda is positive for 70 million. Reached up the reach even, i.e. the break-even between revenues and costs, one year ahead of forecasts industrial plan.
In 2023 we have guaranteed 124 thousand flights with 246 thousand flight hours, with 15 million passengers, of which 10 million on Fiumicino and almost 4-5 million on Linate”, said general manager Andrea Benassi, adding that another 26 will join the fleet in 2024 aircraft, for a total of 96″. “These are extremely positive results”said President Turicchi.