Lufthansa Group has begun the integration process with ITA Airways after completing its purchase of 41 per cent of the Italian carrier.
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The German airline giant said it would first incorporate its loyalty programme and then move to share codes and harmonise operations with ITA.
Members of ITA's Volare loyalty programme can now earn and redeem miles on flights operated by Lufthansa Group carriers - Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines. While Lufthansa's Miles & More members can earn and redeem on ITA flights.
The next step from 30 March will see the carriers start to share codes - initially on 100 flight connections, which will grow to more than 250 routes "once fully implemented," according to Lufthansa.
On the same date, ITA and Lufthansa Group¡¯s airport lounges will become available to use by travellers flying with all carriers in the expanded group.
Lufthansa also said connections between its group hubs in Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna and Brussels and ITA's Rome and Milan hubs would be "optimised and better distributed throughout the day to offer guests more travel flexibility".
ITA has already started the process of withdrawing from the SkyTeam airline alliance and plans to join Lufthansa in the Star Alliance in the first half of 2026.
Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr said: "We want to push ahead with the merger quickly, so that ITA and its passengers, as well as the guests of our other passenger airlines, can quickly benefit from the advantages of an expanded Lufthansa Group.
¡°We are also confident that ITA Airways will realise a profit as early as this year. All in all, we are convinced that today, the start of the integration of ITA Airways into the Lufthansa Group, marks the beginning of a joint success story for customers, employees and shareholders of ITA Airways and the Lufthansa Group.¡±
Lufthansa has also this week announced the promotion of Julia Hillenbrand to the role of vice president of sales for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region ¨C taking over from Lorenza Maggio who has joined ITA¡¯s board of directors.