The Italian flag carrier ITA Airways is reportedly preparing to exit the Sky Team commercial alliance. This is the organization that brings together airlines such as Air France, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Korean Air, which the Italian company had joined on 29 October 2021, at the time of its creation from the ashes of Alitalia, which joined it on 13 July 2001 to October 15, 2021.

Why this move? Simple: it will be the effect of the privatization of the Italian airline. The agreement signed by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), the sole shareholder of ITA, with the Lufthansa Group, provides that the Italian company will end up under one roof (Star Alliance) as the German airline, in whose plans there is the total acquisition of the company: from the current 41% to 100% in 2027.

However, although the ITA company wants to leave the Sky Team to join the Star Alliance, it must wait for the European Competition Commission official green light to the ITA-Lufthansa marriage. Also because Star Alliance, for obvious reasons of maintaining aviation market balance, could not welcome ITA at the moment. So, in view of the green light from Brussels expected in May 2024, ITA is preparing its documents.