With the Lufthansa and ITA Airways merger, whereupon the former will initially buy a 41% stake in the latter, inching closer and closer, there have been questions about how the two carriers, as well as the Lufthansa Group’s networks, will change going forward.

When Lufthansa Group initially announced the acquisition of 41% of ITA Airways’ shares in May 2023, with an option to acquire the remaining stake at a later date, the company emphasized its multi-brand, multi-hub strategy. The company highlighted that ITA Airways would become the fifth network carrier in the Lufthansa Group, joining Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, and Swiss International Air Lines ( SWISS). Airlines, such as Discover Airlines or Edelweiss Air, are classified as leisure carriers by the group.