Lufthansa, United Airlines and Air Canada have applied to the US Department of Transportation to include ITA Airways in their A++ transatlantic joint venture, following Lufthansa’s €325 million acquisition of a 41 per cent stake in January.
The application outlines ITA’s coordination of flights, frequencies, tariffs and revenue sharing across North America and Europe, addressing challenges from Alitalia’s 2021 collapse with €3.5 billion in debt.
ITA’s inclusion would increase A++’s seat share from 29 per cent to 31 per cent on North America-Europe routes, enabling new connections from US cities to Rome Fiumicino and integrated ticketing.
ITA left SkyTeam in February, began Star Alliance integration in June and expects full membership by mid-2026, with Lufthansa planning to raise its stake to 90 per cent next year.
The US review, lasting 12 to 18 months, requires proof that the venture does not reduce competition, while the European Commission approved the Lufthansa-ITA deal in 2024 with Milan Linate slot remedies.
