The European Competition Commission would have branded as "insufficient" the transfers advanced by the Lufthansa aviation group to obtain the green light from Brussels for the Germans' entry into the capital of the Italian flag carrier. In particular, this concerns the deprivation of airport slots and routes which, combined between the two airlines, would have a negative impact on the market balance of European air transport.

Various international and national media confirm this. This is the obstacle: the ITA-Lufthansa union would create monopolies on six flight at the airports of Milan (flights to and from Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart) and Rome (Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich). Together the two companies would also have a dominant position on Milan-Brussels flights (95% to ITA-Lufthansa), Rome-Brussels (74%) and Milan-Hamburg (65%).

For this reason, the package of corrective measures, sent by Lufthansa to the Competition Commission on 8 January, provides for the sale of some slots in the "Enrico Forlanini" airport of Milan-Linate and the reduction of the frequencies of some flights in Europe. Absolute firmness on the part of Berlin on the intercontinental routes, which are the most profitable. 

Brussels will therefore ask for some more sacrifices. This implies that the green light for the ITA-Lufthansa marriage will arrive after January 29, the deadline for "phase 1" of the evaluation. The latter will continue for another 90 working days, postponing the wedding to May 2024.