Italfthansa, after Luxair now the wedding are also contested by Condor: « Minata competition »

The go-ahead of the EU antitrust for the wedding Ita Airways-Lufthansa is increasingly contested by the medium-small airlines. After the use of the European Court of Justice of Luxairvector of Luxembourg, is now Condor – German Aviolinea who focuses in particular on Charter flights – to deposit its opposition. In the « T-320/25 » case, open on May 21, the company opposes the « yes » EU because the operation « Mina the loyal competition between the European companies ».

The green light

Last November, the General Management of EU competition approved the package of corrective measures presented by Italians and Germans, thus giving the definitive green light to the entry of Lufthansa in Italy Airways (41%, upon capital increase of 325 million euros) and the subsequent joint control of the tricolor carrier between the Germans and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The investment then provides that Lufthansa climbs in two stages following 90 and 100%, for a total investment of 729 million euros plus another 100 million of possible bonus for the MEF.

The disputes

Condor, led by CEO Peter Gerber (who arrives after thirty years of experience in the Lufthansa group), accuses the German giant of further consolidating his domain and of ousting the smallest carriers, in particular on the strategic routes that connect minor scali to large hubs such as Frankfurt and Fiumicino. The corrective measures that Lufthansa proposed to the EU – like the sale of a slot package in Milan Linate – are stamped by the condoms of Condor as « completely insufficient to protect the plurality of operators ».

The investment in Italy

Condor, which recently started an expansion in Italybelieves that the most profitable routes-the long-haul ones-which must be « facilitated » by Italfthansa will end up in the hands of the great groups already dominant such as IAG (group that controls British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, Aer Lingus) and Air France-Klm. The position of the European Commission does not change and from Brussels they say ready to defend decisions in court.

The accusations of Luxair

In recent days Luxair, confirming the anticipation of the Courieradded that as part of the corrective measures offered by Lufthansa, the smallest carriers were excluded from the assignment of the landing slots at Milan Linate airport (Luxair does not make intercontinental flights). Specifically, the Luxembourg vector « disputes the fact that all the slots issued by Lufthansa and Ita in Linate have been assigned to a single airline (Easyjet, ed), that is, the one in charge of implementing the remedies on the short -range broken routes ».

The repercussions

According to experts, the Italian-German wedding are not at risk. The industrial operation – explain to Courier Two European sources – it can continue setbacks, as long as the conditions set in the go -a conditioned free leaving are respected. As for Luxair and Condor appeals, they should serve a few months before the procedural procedure comes to life and plausibly at least another year before a decision is reached. And without considering the appeal.