The route, which hit schedules on 17 May 2026, operates aboard Maldivian’s Airbus A330s and flies between Velana International Airport in Malé and Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport.

Wingy, made a surprise appearance to celebrate a truly historic journey!

Spreading smiles, joy, and Maldivian warmth, our beloved mascot welcomed Australian passengers as they became part of the first-ever direct flight connection between Melbourne and Malé.… pic.twitter.com/cTLXKcFtMv

— MaldivianAero (@MaldivianAero) May 19, 2026

Eliminating the need for passengers between the two countries to transit via the usual Asian hubs, such as Colombo, Doha, Dubai, or Singapore, the the new non-stop flight route will slash prior travel times of around 20 hours in half.

The direct flights come as part of a wider agreement between Visit Maldives Corporation and Luxury Escapes Pty Ltd, a major Australian travel and lifestyle platform. Together, they will coordinate trade, consumer, media, and retail promotions to raise awareness of the Maldives as a destination through a variety of events, retail campaigns, showcases, and integrated initiatives across Australian markets.

With arrivals having swelled nearly 10% to 2.25 million in 2025, the Maldives continue to seek opportunities for sustainable tourism growth, and Australia is seen as a good source since the Aussie winter travel season overlaps with the Maldives’ “shoulder season” helping to spread arrivals and spending across the year.

Welcoming the advent of the direct flights, Ibrahim Shiuree, CEO and Managing Director of Visit Maldives, said, “Australia remains an important emerging market for the Maldives,” and added: “The introduction of the Melbourne charter operations further enhances connectivity and supports our broader efforts to increase arrivals and position the Maldives as a preferred long-haul destination for Australian travellers.”

Sharing that aim, Adam Schwab of Luxury Escapes said: “This new accessibility will drive not only visitation but also destination desirability,” and described Luxury Escapes as “excited to be working alongside Visit Maldives to amplify the destination’s presence in the market.”

A proud moment as dignitaries and the operating crew come together for a commemorative group photo, marking the successful arrival of the first-ever direct flight to the Maldives. #MaldivianAero #MaldivianToMelbourne pic.twitter.com/ksfAB051lP

— MaldivianAero (@MaldivianAero) May 19, 2026

To mark the launch of the direct flights and its new partnership, Luxury Escapes is making available 100 Melbourne-Maldives return economy air tickets at the bargain price of just $100, as a celebratory offer.

Meanwhile, the Maldives have been in the news for a more sombre reason in recent days, after the tragic deaths of six divers in an underwater cave off the Vaavu Atoll. Despite ongoing risks to life due to inclement weather on the atoll, efforts have been ongoing to recover the divers’ bodies and establish the cause of the deadly incident.

L’article Direct flights now available for first time between Maldives and Australia est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Noto Satoyama Airport, a domestic hub on the Noto Peninsula of Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture, is being temporarily rebranded as a Pokémon attraction, complete with decorations and events themed around the world-famous multi-billion-dollar universe.

Also, sometimes known as Wajima Airport, for its nearest city, Noto, will evolve for the next three years into the “Noto Satoyama Pokémon With You Airport.” Between 7 July 2026 and 30 September 2029, over one hundred pocket monsters of the “flying type” will be spottable in and around the airport’s four storeys. Central characters such as Pikachu will naturally take the limelight in the hub’s atrium, sitting aboard an aircraft surrounded by birds, insects, and dragons.

The transformation is taking place as part of an initiative to rehabilitate tourism-dependent Noto in the wake of the magnitude-7.6 earthquake that struck the peninsula in 2024, killing over 600 people, and destroying or severely damaging around 30,000 buildings, including the airport.

Those regeneration efforts will include a new airport logo and a bespoke “Sky of Hope” artwork portraying characters soaring together with an aeroplane. The observation deck, renamed “Pikachu’s Village,” will depict numerous Pikachu set against a satoyama-inspired rustic landscape. The chosen imagery,” the airport explains in a statement, “features numerous Pokémon flying through the sky, dazzling light, and sparkling rainbows”, and “expresses a longing for the sky, the joy of flying freely, and the ‘hope’ of embarking on a new journey.”

Restaurants in the airport will also get in on the action, offering Pokémon-themed refreshments in the form of pancakes and drinks, while retail shops will be selling Pokémon souvenirs, such as luggage tags, keychains, and clothing, as part of the fun. Eagle-eyed visitors will also notice Pokémon-themed manhole covers nearby, and they can even indulge in a Pokémon hot spring footbath if desired.

Visitors can also access original short videos on their smartphones while in the airport, including a story called “Fly, Bagon!” about a blue Rock Head wingless Dragon who yearns to fly.

The redevelopment project has been conceived with the support of the Pokémon With You Foundation, which came to life after the 9.1-magnitude earthquake—Japan’s worst ever— in 2011. The foundation works to support communities in disaster zones.

L’article Japan transforms airport into Pokémon themed destination until 2029 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The Dallas-based carrier’s guidance now reads: “Southwest Airlines does not allow human-like or animal-like robots to be transported in the cabin or as checked baggage, regardless of size or purpose.”

The update goes on to explain: “A ‘human‑like robot’ is a robot designed to resemble or imitate a human in its appearance, movement, or behavior. An ‘animal-like robot’ is a robot designed to resemble or imitate an animal in its appearance, movement, or behavior.”

@rentbots Pretty sure Stewie was the last humanoid robot allowed on a Southwest flight #southwestairlines #humanoidrobot #robotsontiktok ♬ original sound –

Earlier this year, prior to a Southwest flight out of Oakland, a human-like robot was filmed dancing at the departure gate, causing curiosity and consternation among other flyers, with the incident posted to social media by Elite Event Robotics. The flight was reportedly delayed while the air crew worked out how to secure the robot, with the machine eventually placed in a window seat with its battery removed.

In a similar incident, Dallas entrepreneur Aaron Mehdizadeh booked a seat on a flight from Las Vegas to Dallas for his 106-cm-tall humanoid named “Stewie.” Again, footage that went viral online showed Stewie doing karate kicks before boarding the aircraft and walking down the aisle to his seat, watched by amazed co-passengers. “Most people were very excited to see a robot flying and [it] provided so much entertainment,” Mehdizadeh told CBS News Texas.

While Stewie was accepted on board thanks to being fitted with a smaller battery than usual, Southwest has now changed its policies, citing concerns over robot batteries and the safety hazard they pose. Authorities and airlines around the world have been scrambling to catch up with the implications of passengers taking lithium-ion battery-powered devices and chargers on board aircraft since the technology has been the source of a number of onboard fires.

The viral appeal of the humanoid or animal-like robots when seen boarding a plane means that tech companies and individuals have benefited from free publicity while causing potential operational problems.

Southwest has now made clear in its new rules that such anthropomorphic machines are no longer welcome. Robots that do not resemble humans or animals, however, will still be allowed under certain conditions: “All other robots, including toys, must be able to fit within a carry-on size bag and comply with existing battery restrictions,” Southwest said.

The carrier’s battery rules state that “each customer is limited to one power bank”, which “must be carried in the cabin; must not be placed in checked luggage; and must not exceed 100 watt-hours.” In addition, the bank “must not be placed in the overhead bin (if traveling with a smart bag, you must remove the battery before stowing the bag in the overhead bin) and should be stored in a personal item under the seat in front of you,” and “may not be charged onboard using in-seat power.” The device “must be visible (not stored in a bag)” when in use.

L’article Southwest Airlines bans humanoid robots from flights after safety concerns est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The announcement was made during the US President’s visit to China last week, a trip which was characterised by a strong commercial focus. Trump travelled with the heads of several major American corporations, including Boeing’s CEO, Kelly Ortberg.

Details of the agreement were still unavailable at the time of writing. The types of aircraft and the delivery timeline remain unspecified, although Boeing confirmed the commitment to supply 200 planes a day after Trump appeared on Fox News’ Hannity, where he declared: “One thing he agreed to today, he’s going to order 200 jets.”

The following trading day, Boeing shares fell by 4.1%, wiping out gains accumulated after reports first emerged that Ortberg would join the trip.

Boeing has since thanked the Trump administration, saluting him for achieving its “major goal of reopening the Chinese market”.

Prior to the summit, discussions had reportedly centred around a much larger package that could have included up to 500 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and a smaller number of widebody jets, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. Speaking aboard Air Force One afterwards, Trump claimed that a promise had been made to deliver up to 750 more planes if the initial order of 200 was fulfilled to satisfaction.

Analysts had expected the summit to produce a landmark aviation agreement comparable to the $37 billion, 300-plane deal announced during Trump’s first state visit to China in 2017.

The Boeing deal also unfolded against the backdrop of ongoing trade tensions between Washington and Beijing. Last October, Trump suspended tariffs of up to 100% on Chinese goods after an escalating confrontation in which Beijing threatened to restrict exports of rare earths, which are critical for sectors including electronics and aerospace. Still, Trump left Beijing without securing a rare earth agreement.

Boeing’s position in China has weakened considerably over the past decade. Orders for Boeing aircraft from China have fallen to historic lows, with only 51 reportedly ordered over the past seven years. Sales declined sharply after 2015 amid geopolitical tensions, trade disputes, and concerns relating to the grounding of the 737 MAX.

The stakes remain high because China is the world’s second-largest aviation market. Boeing forecasts that the country will require over 9,000 new jetliners by 2045 to meet growing demand for travel.

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Aviation advisory firm IBA has estimated that the value of the 200-aircraft order would be $17–19 billion if most of the jets were MAX narrow-body aircraft, rising to $25 billion if around 40% of the order were wide-body aircraft.

Competition with Airbus in China remains fierce. Beijing is simultaneously discussing a similarly sized deal with Airbus, which has increased its presence in the country through its Tianjin A320 assembly line. Analysts note that Chinese aircraft orders are often closely tied to diplomatic negotiations and do not always immediately result in firm delivery commitments.

Nevertheless, Airbus has pulled far ahead of Boeing in China in recent years. One factor still weighing on Boeing is concern over possible future US export restrictions. Without guaranteed long-term maintenance and after-sales support, Chinese carriers remain reluctant to rely too heavily on American aircraft. Meanwhile, the European Union is reassessing aspects of its own trade relationship with China, a process that could eventually complicate Airbus’s strong position there as well.

L’article Boeing shares fall after Trump announces 200 Boeing jet China deal est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The airline said the decision was driven by a combination of operational and economic pressures, including airspace restrictions and record-high jet fuel prices. Air India has also been forced into longer and more expensive routings after being banned from Pakistani airspace following last year’s military escalation between the two nuclear powers.

“The adjustments have been made in response to a combination of factors, including continued airspace restrictions over certain regions and record-high jet fuel prices for international operations, which significantly impact the commercial viability of certain planned services,” the airline said in a statement.

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The dual impact of Pakistani airspace restrictions — introduced after Islamabad barred Indian carriers from using its airspace last year amid heightened military tensions — and the ongoing Middle East crisis has added to the financial pressure on the Indian carrier, which is already grappling with persistent losses, rising operating costs and increased regulatory scrutiny.

Regionally, Air India is cutting the largest number of flights to and from East Asia, followed by North America, Europe, and Australia. Seven international routes have been temporarily suspended, while frequencies on a number of others have been reduced.

The suspended services include Delhi-Newark, Delhi-Chicago, Delhi-Shanghai, Delhi-Malé, Mumbai-New York (JFK), Mumbai-Dhaka, and Chennai-Singapore. Meanwhile, the Delhi-Paris, Delhi-Milan, and Delhi-Rome routes will operate with reduced frequencies

The airline has announced further reductions, including cuts to services to destinations such as Toronto, Vancouver, Melbourne and Sydney, as it attempts to stabilise operations amid mounting disruption.

The airline said the suspended and reduced services would resume “when circumstances allow” and stressed that it would still operate more than 1,200 international flights per month.

#ImportantUpdate

We are making temporary adjustments to select international services between June and August 2026, necessitated by continued airspace restrictions over certain regions and record high jet fuel prices for international operations.

Despite these changes, Air…

— Air India (@airindia) May 15, 2026

It warned, however, that further adjustments remained possible depending on the regional situation.

The revised schedule, according to Air India, is aimed at improving “network stability” and reducing “last-minute inconvenience to passengers”. The airline added that it would “proactively” assist affected customers through alternative flight options, complimentary date changes, or full refunds.

Air India is 25% owned by Singapore Airlines and 75% by Tata Sons. The airline’s outgoing CEO, Campbell Wilson, resigned in April. According to reports in the Indian media, Singapore Airlines executive Vinod Kannan and Air India’s head of commercial operations, Nipun Aggarwal, are among those being considered to succeed him.

The crisis in the Middle East has continued to send shockwaves through global aviation since the conflict escalated at the end of February. More than two million seats were removed from global schedules in May alone as airlines cut flights amid an intensifying jet fuel crisis. A further 9.3 million seats have been cut between June and September.

The impact has been particularly severe for Middle Eastern carriers and airlines that rely heavily on connections to Asia and Europe, as jet fuel prices have surged during the conflict. Airlines, including Lufthansa, British Airways, KLM, and Turkish Airlines, have all reduced capacity in recent weeks. Lufthansa announced in April that it would cut 20,000 flights between May and October, while airlines operating to and from the United Kingdom removed more than 30,000 seats from their schedules for May and June.

As the Times of India noted, the practical effect of these cuts is likely to be even higher fares on already constrained routes, particularly as major Gulf carriers are themselves operating on reduced capacity.

L’article Air India suspends routes and cuts frequencies amid jet fuel and airspace crisis est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Addressing the United Kingdom’s situation more specifically, he said “the major problem facing the UK is timing. You normally expect to see a 25% increase in flights and fuel requirements in the months of July and August versus, let’s say, March,” adding: “I think the concern will be that if sufficient alternative supply isn’t sourced, there may be some shortages when we get into the peak summer period.”

Walsh believes significant disruption to schedules can be avoided (and airlines will be keen to avoid problems since the EU has insisted they remain responsible for compensating passengers amid the current issues). But he warned of rising ticket prices ahead and noted that the impact of the blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping passage, could continue into 2027. This goes beyond the worst-case scenarios laid out by analysts when the crisis first began.

Tui’s chief executive, Sebastien Ebel, and the European Union’s energy commissioner, Dan Jorgensen, have dismissed the prospect of serious fuel shortages in the near-term, but the latter has not ruled out longer-term effects.

Meanwhile, countries around the world have been seeking solutions to the oil shortages, ranging from authorising the import and use of US fuel for European airlines to increasing home-owned refinery production, as seen in the UK.

Following the war in Iran, flight cancellations by Middle Eastern carriers disrupted flows, causing a significant rebalancing of air traffic in four major region-pairs that were heavily dependent on Middle East for connectivity. More in the #WeeklyChart https://t.co/ZgShCGcEP0 pic.twitter.com/czWQ0qoYZ5

— IATA (@IATA) May 16, 2026

Some of the solutions have been flagged by green campaigners as a step backwards for climate agendas, as some nations fall back on dirtier fuel. Indonesia, one of the world’s largest coal exporters by trade value (alongside Kazakhstan, Russia, Colombia, and Mongolia), is prioritising domestic supply chains over exports, limiting regional availability.

Responding, Bangladesh has increased both generation ​and imports of coal-fired power. India, almost 75% dependent on coal for power, is operating at maximum coal-fired generation and has cancelled planned stoppages. Vietnam is already considering importing coal from the United States and Laos, according to energy market tracker Argus Media.

South Korea declared earlier this spring that it would postpone the closure of its coal-fired power plants, originally timetabled for 2040, and has eased cost penalties on electricity produced from coal. The Philippines is also increasing coal-burning under national emergency measures. Similarly, Japanese officials have temporarily allowed an Industry Ministry reprieve on coal-fired power plant restrictions, allowing older, less efficient coal-fired plants to continue running for the next fiscal year.

L’article Rising fuel costs make higher Europe air fares inevitable this summer, says IATA chief est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The airline said the upcoming season is projected to surpass its previous summer record set in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted global travel. American plans to operate an expanded schedule across domestic and international markets, including additional service to Europe, Latin America and major US hubs. 

Chicago O’Hare is expected to play a significant role in the airline’s summer strategy. American said it expects to serve more than 5.2 million customers at the airport this summer, representing an 11% increase from 2025 levels and nearly 50% growth compared with 2023. The expansion comes amid fierce competition with rival carriers for gate space and market share at the airport. 

The carrier is also increasing international frequencies, including restoring a second daily flight between Miami and Caracas after an eight-year gap in the market. American has identified Orlando, London Heathrow and Boston among its busiest non-hub destinations for the season. 

Operational reliability is expected to be a major focus as the airline ramps up capacity. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently imposed temporary flight caps at O’Hare for the summer season to reduce congestion and improve on-time performance after delays affected operations last year. American supported the move, saying it would help maintain schedule reliability during peak travel months. Operations at O’Hare will be capped at 2,708 flights per day from May 17 through October 24, despite peak summer 2026 schedules previously reaching as many as 3,080 daily flights on the busiest days.

American is also expanding customer-service technology ahead of the busy summer season, including self-service rebooking, bag tracking and digital vouchers through its app, as well as industry-first Samsung Wallet boarding passes and wider use of its Connect Assist technology for passengers with tight connections. The airline is additionally rolling out free Wi-Fi for AAdvantage members, expanding TSA PreCheck Touchless ID at 60 airports and streamlined connections between Dallas/Fort Worth and London Heathrow through its One Stop Security program.

American Airlines currently operates more than 6,000 daily flights to over 350 destinations in more than 60 countries and serves more than 200 million customers annually.

The airline’s ambitious plans come despite wider industry pressures tied to rising fuel costs and operational challenges across the aviation sector. The airline lowered its 2026 profit forecast earlier this year because of higher jet fuel prices linked to geopolitical tensions, though it said travel demand remained resilient heading into the summer season. 

Industry analysts say the summer could become a major test of how airlines balance strong passenger demand with operational reliability and higher costs. Across Europe and North America, airlines and airports are already facing concerns over delays, congestion and schedule disruptions during the busy travel period. 

In Europe, concerns over delays and congestion have also intensified following the rollout of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), which has caused long queues at several airports for non-EU travellers. Greece has already called for a rethink of the system for British holidaymakers and temporarily eased biometric checks to avoid disruptions during the peak summer season.

L’article American Airlines prepares for record-breaking summer 2026 with 75 million passengers expected est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The comments come amid ongoing economic and political instability, with the conflict affecting global air travel and raising concerns about potential aviation fuel shortages in the coming weeks.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said the airline remains well prepared. “From a fuel perspective, Emirates is well-hedged until 2028-29,” he noted, adding that the company has secured the necessary supply to support current operations and a gradual return to pre-disruption levels.

He also pointed to the role of the wider Emirates Group, including its ground handling arm dnata. “Our business streams, scale, portfolio mix, and years of investments give us the resilience and agility to address any near-term challenges,” he said.

Disruption to air traffic in the Gulf region

Reflecting on the impact of the conflict, the Emirates chief said military activity earlier this year had significantly disrupted commercial aviation in the Gulf region. “On 28 February, military activity massively disrupted global commercial air traffic in the Gulf region, including in the UAE,” he said.

Emirates and dnata, he added, mobilised quickly to support passengers, protect assets and maintain operations.

Flights have since gradually resumed at Dubai International Airport, although the airline is still operating below pre-disruption passenger capacity. Cargo operations have increased to support the movement of essential goods.

Dubai’s aviation infrastructure has played a key role in maintaining connectivity, with long-term investments and coordination between authorities enabling the rapid establishment of safe corridors for commercial flights.

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Ceasefire in place as calls for resolution continue

Turning to the broader geopolitical context, Sheikh Ahmed noted that military activities are currently paused under a ceasefire agreement.

“We hope for a clear resolution to the hostilities soon, and a return to market stability,” he said, adding that the airline continues to adapt to the evolving situation.

The Emirates chief acknowledged that both the company and the wider aviation sector have faced “significant challenges”, but stressed that the group has experience navigating crises. “Each time, we placed our focus on our customers and our people, and each time, we have bounced back stronger,” he said.

Record financial results for the Emirates Group

The comments come as the airline released its 2025–26 annual report, showing record financial performance.

For the financial year ending 31 March 2026, the Emirates Group reported profit before tax of US$ 6.6 billion, up 7% year on year, and revenue of US$ 41.0 billion, an increase of 3%.

The results, Sheikh Ahmed said, “reaffirm the strength and resilience” of the group’s business model.

Looking ahead, Emirates enters the 2026–27 financial year with strong cash reserves, allowing continued investment in aircraft deliveries, retrofit programs, and new facilities.

Confidence in Dubai’s position as a global aviation hub also remains strong, with its role described as being “at the nexus of global commerce, trade and travel flows”.

L’article Emirates chief calls for stability as Middle East tensions weigh on aviation est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

In April 2026, the European Tourism: Trends & Prospects report by the European Travel Commission already painted a record picture of arrivals and overnight stays in Europe. Since the beginning of the year and despite a difficult global situation, Europe has seen a 5.6% increase in international tourist arrivals and a 5.5% increase in overnight stays.

The European airport trade body ACI EUROPE has confirmed a positive trend on 13 May 2026 in its traffic report for March and the first quarter of 2026. According to ACI, passenger traffic across the European airport network increased by 3.8% in March compared to the same month in 2025. Despite the conflict in the Middle East, which started on 28 February, passenger traffic thus remained on a similar level as in February (4.2%)

“Overall, the first month of the Middle East war has once again highlighted the resilience of demand for air transport in the face of another major geopolitical shock. Many European airports lost direct connectivity to the region, but those traffic flows connecting onward to Asia rapidly adapted through alternative direct and indirect routings. To some extent, this even supported intra-European traffic flows, while the transatlantic market remained extremely dynamic,” said Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE.

However, the ACI noted an important discrepancy between the so-called EU+ market (including the EU, EEA, Switzerland, and the UK) and countries elsewhere in Europe. While the first group expanded by 4.1% in March (up from 3.9% in February), the second group only grew by 2.6% compared to the same month in 2025 (down from 5.9% in February).

Within the EU+ market, Slovakia (130.7%), Slovenia (17%), Denmark (13.8%), Malta (12.5%), and Croatia (10.8%) were the strongest growers in terms of passenger traffic performance. Outside the EU+, those with the best results were North Macedonia (36.3%), Moldova (25.3%), Bosnia & Herzegovina (21.3%), Uzbekistan (15.9%), Türkiye, and Serbia (11.3%). 

Some side notes on the growth

“Looking at the peak Summer months ahead of us, we do not – for now – expect a contraction of passenger volumes, unless we end up facing significant jet fuel shortages. Middle Eastern airlines are now restoring their European network while European ones have only made limited capacity adjustments – reflecting the protection afforded by fuel-cost hedging strategies and the continued resilience of demand. However, past the peak Summer months, the traffic outlook is effectively a black box for the industry. It all hinges on geopolitics and the fallout of the oil crisis – with the prospect of a cost-of-living shock testing demand resilience,” Olivier Jankovec added.

ACI’s report also mentions the contrasted case of small airports, defined as those welcoming fewer than 1 million annual passengers. Although the airport category achieved the best passenger traffic performance overall with an increase of 8.9% compared to March 2025, small airports’ passenger volumes are still far below (-32.1%) the pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Córdoba ODB (4007.4%), Bucharest BBU (530.1%%), Vaxjo VXO (452.5%), Jönköping JKG (400.5%), and Stockholm BMA (286.4%) were the small airports reporting the most dynamic growth in passenger traffic compared to March 2025.

L’article European air passenger traffic grows in March 2026 despite ongoing Middle East conflict est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

In January 2025, Lufthansa acquired a 41% minority stake in Italy’s ITA Airways, while the Italian government retained 59% of the airline. At the time, the deal included the right for Lufthansa to gradually increase its ownership over time.

“Following the acquisition of the first 41 percent stake in ITA Airways last year, we promised the fastest airline integration in our history. We aimed to complete all major integration steps into the Lufthansa Group within just 18 months. We have not only kept this promise. We were even faster: All customer-facing interfaces are already integrated today—with the exception of North Atlantic flights, where, as is well known, regulatory approval for our merger is still pending,” said Carsten Spohr, CEO of the Lufthansa Group and Chairman of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, at Lufthansa’s Annual General Meeting.

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Публикация от Vincenzo Pace (@aerovincenzo)

On 12 May 2026, Lufthansa announced it would be exercising its option to acquire a majority stake in ITA Airways just one year after the initial deal. The second block of shares, which will give Lufthansa a 90% stake in the Italian carrier, will be acquired for €325 million from the Italian government. According to the group, its Supervisory Board approved the decision by the Lufthansa Executive Board at a meeting on 11 May 2026.

“Passengers already experience ITA Airways as an integrated part of the Lufthansa Group. With unified booking, sales, and fare systems, the Miles and More frequent flyer program, Star Alliance membership, and access to our global network of premium lounges. Integration is also progressing in the cargo business. Since last year, Lufthansa Cargo has been marketing ITA Airways’ cargo capacity, which alone corresponds to the additional capacity of three Boeing 777 freighters. In light of this success story, we decided to exercise our option to acquire an additional 49 percent stake as early as June of this year,” added Spohr.

Although the deal should take place in June 2026, the transaction is still subject to regulatory approvals. Both the European Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will need to agree, which means the transaction should close during the first quarter of 2027.

Once the matter has been approved, ITA Airways will become fully integrated into the Lufthansa Group, both organisationally and financially. The Italian government will keep 10% of ITA Airways’ shares, but it is not impossible that Lufthansa might be purchasing the remaining shares in the future, which would result in full ownership.

TAP Air Portugal

At the moment of writing, Lufthansa is also competing with Air France-KLM to purchase a 49.9% minority share in TAP Air Portugal. Given the upcoming ITA Airways purchase, however, Air France-KLM’s chances of taking a stake in TAP Air Portugal might have just improved. Previously, EU regulators already raised concerns about competition on intra-European, transatlantic, and South American routes, while the Portuguese authorities want Lisbon to remain a central, global hub.

L’article Lufthansa takes 90% stake in ITA Airways in €325 million deal est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.