Just before the pandemic hit the industry in 2020, airline leaders were positive that Europe was about to have a much-needed round of consolidation. They agreed that there were way too many airlines, fighting for the same piece of cake. Covid has delayed this, but what is the view two years on? AirInsight asked some CEO’s at the recent Airlines 4 Europe Aviation Summit
in Brussels. Is Europe ready for some airline consolidation yet?
If there is one example of consolidation, it must be the upcoming privatization of ITA Airways. Lufthansa Group, Delta/Air France-KLM, and Indigo Partners are all interested in taking a share in the carrier that succeeded loss-making Alitalia in October. However comes out as the winner, it will mean that one of the leading airline groups will grow its presence in Europe.
ITA’s future
If Lufthansa wins, it adds ITA Airways to its stable that already includes SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings (Discover), and Air Dolomiti. Lufthansa is keen to add ITA to its portfolio, as Italy is the airline’s second-biggest international market after the US. If Delta Airlines and Air France-KLM are the preferred bidder, ITA will cement its role within the SkyTeam alliance and form a Dutch-French-Italian connection. With Indigo Partners coming out number one, ITA Airways will like to team up with ultra-low-cost airline Wizz Air, which has a growing presence in the Italian market.
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