Lufthansa Group has decided against investing in non-European airlines, according to CEO Carsten Spohr. In an interview with Airways Magazine, Spohr stated that the company would likely focus on European investments due to regulatory and cultural challenges associated with investing outside the continent. “We can never say no, but regulatory and cultural reasons make it difficult to invest in airlines abroad,” he said.
The German airline group currently includes subsidiaries such as Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), Eurowings, Air Dolomiti, Discover Airlines, and Lufthansa CityLine. Recently, Lufthansa finalized its acquisition of a 41% stake in ITA Airways after receiving approval from the European Commission. Spohr expressed pride in welcoming ITA Airways into the group: “We are proud to finally welcome ITA Airways to the Lufthansa Group.”
In addition to ITA Airways, Lufthansa has acquired a 10% stake in airBaltic and is reportedly seeking a 20% stake in Spain’s Air Europa. The latter move follows failed attempts by International Airlines Group (IAG) and interest from Air France-KLM to acquire parts of Air Europa.
Air Europa has been looking for partnerships to improve its financial situation after IAG abandoned plans for a majority takeover due to regulatory issues. Despite this setback, IAG retains a 20% stake while Globalia controls the remaining shares.
Acquiring stakes in these airlines is part of Lufthansa’s strategy to strengthen its market presence across Europe. By potentially acquiring a share of Air Europa, Lufthansa aims to enhance its position in Southern Europe and gain access to transatlantic routes between Spain and South America.
