German airline Lufthansa signs deal for minority stake in Italy’s struggling ITA Airways

By COLLEEN BARRY
AP Business Writer

MILAN (AP) — German airline Lufthansa on Thursday signed a deal with the Italian government for a minority share in the long-struggling ITA Airways, formerly Alitalia.  ITA Airways and its Alitalia predecessor have long been searching for an industrial partner as the Italian airline lost out on domestic and European routes to low-cost carriers. A string of deals with potential and real partners had all fallen through over the last 15 years. Lufthansa, which already operates Air Dolomiti out of northern Italy, was the only company to make an offer in the latest tender earlier this year. The deal must be approved by EU competition authorities.