Bloomberg
Deutsche Lufthansa AG Chief Executive Officer Carsten Spohr said Rome could become the group’s fifth hub with the acquisition of new Italian flag carrier ITA Airways.
“Italy is a strong market,†Spohr said in an interview with Corriere della Sera published. “Rome could play a very important role within Lufthansa, integrating our system with a southern hub for the group.â€
Spohr reaffirmed the commitment to work with shipping giant Mediterranean Shipping Co, which is owned by Italian billionaire Gianluigi Aponte, to take over ITA, the state-owned successor of bankrupt Alitalia SpA. Formal negotiations still have to start after the two companies filed an expression of interest in January.