easyJet Picks Up ITA Airways and Lufthansa Slots in Milan and Rome

As is always the case, the European Commission, imposed Lufthansa to make some concessions in order to take over the new Italian flag carrier ITA Airways. The main part of the requested concessions was giving up slots at ITA's most strategic bases: Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate. In theory this request should protect “competition” on routes out of the airports, but I'll give you my two cents further down. The slots the two airlines gave up were just too inviting to be left on the plate and easyJet was the party that picked them up.

easyJet Picks Up ITA Airways' and Lufthansa's Milan Linate and Rome Fiumicino Slots

It'll be the British budget airline easyJet that will pick up the slots that Lufthansa and ITA Airways were forced to give up in order to get the green light for the German takeover. The involved slots to be transferred over to easyJet will be at Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate, the two most important airports for ITA Airways.

The handover will happen in spring 2025 with easyJet then being able to place 8 additional planes in the two Italian airports. With the addition of these 8 units Italy will be then home to 38 planes. That will in turn mean that the British budget airline will have to increase its workforce by approximately 300.

Italy is a strategically important market for easyJet, as it is for many foreign carriers, both in terms of traffic volumes and revenue generated. The Linate and Fiumicino slots were just too inviting to be left on the table for some other competitor to pick them up. Italy is already home to the airline's second largest base, Milan Malpensa. Getting more slots at Milan's city airport, Linate, will further strengthen easyJet's position in northern Italy and in the country as a whole considering its increased presence in Rome Fiumicino too.

Budget Airlines Strengthen Their Grip On The Italian Market

I, as an Italian, am not all that warm and fuzzy about this slot transfer over to easyJet from two legacy airlines. Italy has gradually fallen more and more under the control of budget airlines. These carriers control most of the domestic traffic charging, in many unfortunate cases ludicrous amounts for north to south routes during holiday seasons, all with less travel protection offered to passengers.

With more slots in Milan Linate and Rome Fiumicino falling under a low-cost airline's control they are only getting stronger. Something that the European Commission blindly fails to see and address. We are transferring slots to preserve competitiveness but never look if that is actually the case or not. Also I'm not all that enthusiastic about ITA Airways falling under Lufthansa's control. I think a more neutral partner could have been found, and it is a pity to sell an airline that finally is generating positive financial results (after decades of Alitalia endless losses) to an airline which has its mainline airline's interest most at heart.