Lufthansa Group has ruled out investing in non-European carriers, the airline group’s chief executive officer, Carsten Spohr, said in an interview with Airways Magazine.
Focus on the European continent
If the German airline decides to invest, Lufthansa Group will likely focus solely on European investments, as airlines usually prefer to place capital in companies operating on the same continent. Regarding the potential of investing in carriers outside Europe, Spohr told Airways Magazine:
“We can never say no, but regulatory and cultural reasons make it difficult to invest in airlines abroad.”
He added that there are not many successful examples of “airlines investing outside of their own continent.”
Strengthening its European presence
Currently, Lufthansa Group’s subsidiaries include Lufthansa
, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), low-cost arm Eurowings, Air Dolomiti, Discover Airlines, and Lufthansa CityLine.
Photo: Tobias Arhelger | Shutterstock
Additionally, Lufthansa recently finalized its stake acquisition in ITA Airways
after receiving approval from the European Commission. As part of the deal, the German national airline has officially acquired a 41% stake in the Italian carrier, with plans to take full ownership in the near future. Carsten Spohr, Lufthansa’s CEO said:
“We are proud to finally welcome ITA Airways to the Lufthansa Group. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this, especially in Rome, Brussels, Berlin and Frankfurt. The ITA Airways team has written an impressive success story in recent years and, with great energy, passion and expertise, has built an airline that is already the pride of an entire nation.
“We look forward to continuing this success story of ITA Airways together. With our investment, we will now strengthen the Italian and European aviation market and the position of the Lufthansa Group as number one in Europe. Our joint passengers worldwide will benefit from improved offers and optimized connections as early as this upcoming summer flight schedule.”
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Related
Done Deal: ITA Airways Officially Joins Lufthansa Group As 41% Stake Acquisition Completed
ITA Airways is now officially part of the Lufthansa Group of airlines.
Lufthansa has also acquired a 10% stake in Riga-based Latvian flag carrier airBaltic
. It gives the Lufthansa Group both a minority stake and a seat on the Supervisory Board.
Following investments in airBaltic and ITA Airways, the German flag carrier is now reportedly seeking a 20% stake in Spain’s Air Europa, according to a report by El Economista published in late January 2025. Simple Flying reached out to Lufthansa for a comment, but the airline declined to comment.
Air Europa
has long been exploring potential partnerships to strengthen its financial position. After International Airlines Group (IAG) abandoned its plans to acquire the Spanish airline due to regulatory challenges, Air France-KLM has also been considering purchasing a 20% stake.
Photo: Robert Buchel | Shutterstock
Air Europa has been exploring new avenues for capital expansion to repay its debt. Spain’s third-largest airline has attracted interest from several European carriers due to its strategic positioning in the Spanish and South American markets. Acquiring a stake in Air Europa would further strengthen Lufthansa’s market presence in Southern Europe, providing access to lucrative transatlantic routes between Spain and South America.
Several major players have shown interest in acquiring a stake in Air Europa. International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and Vueling, initially considered taking a majority stake but abandoned its plans in August 2024 due to regulatory obstacles. Despite the failed takeover, IAG still holds a 20% stake in Air Europa, while Globalia retains control of the remaining 80%.
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Lufthansa Eyes 20% Stake In Air Europa After airBaltic & ITA Airways Investments
Germany’s Lufthansa is reportedly continuing its efforts to consolidate its airline business across Europe.