Lufthansa would like to acquire a 40% stake in Italian ITA

German airline group Lufthansa would like to acquire a 40 percent stake in ITA Airways, the successor to bankrupt Alitalia. That reports the Italian newspaper Il Foglio based on the sources.

The plan may be released in a few days. This would require European Commission approval, the newspaper said. According to the newspaper, the two sides are on the verge of agreement on financial cooperation. They also want to use Rome’s Fiumicino Airport as a hub for flights to Africa and parts of the United States.

ITA chief Alfredo Altavilla had previously said he would like to become part of Lufthansa. ITA has been operating since October 15 as the successor to Alitalia, which fell after years of losses. The new airline took in about a quarter of Alitalia’s staff and some of its aircraft. The number of roads has also been cut off significantly.

Lufthansa said at the launch of the ITA that it was ready to discuss commercial cooperation with the Italians.