The finances of the German Lufthansa Group in the first half of 2024 are not brilliant, but the purchase of the Italian carrier ITA Airways could allow the airline to improve the Group's situation. There are two key concepts to achieve this objective: economies of scale and long-haul intercontinental routes. Two mantras that the German Group will keep in mind to plan a lasting relaunch.

In fact, the first half of 2024 for the Lufthansa Group ended in a negative way: profits recorded a loss of -427 million euros (it was +149 million in the same period of 2023) while the estimate of adjusted operating profits fell to 1.4-1.8 billion at the end of the year (against an initial estimate of around 2.2 billion). It's all the fault of "rising costs, falling ticket prices, delays in the delivery of new planes", explains the German company.

Now, however, ITA and Lufthansa are expecting a positive breakthrough after the green light for the marriage granted by the technicians of the European Competition Commission, led by Margrethe Vestager. At the moment the Germans have 41% of the Italian airline in their hands, but in a second phase they will acquire 100% of the Italian company, by 2033. Thanks to the Italian airline's network, the Group's profits will rise like never before, thanks to the Italian market, among the most vital in Europe, and thanks to ITA's intercontinental flights, the most profitable.