Comunicato stampa: Il CdA di ITA Airways approva il Piano Industriale 2026-2030

(AGENPARL) – Roma, 30 Luglio 2025

(AGENPARL) – Wed 30 July 2025 PRESS RELEASE
ITA Airways Board of Directors approves 2026-2030 Business Plan
Focus on long-haul expansion, fleet renewal, and synergies with Lufthansa Group
Rome, July 30th, 2025 – ITA Airways’ Board of Directors has approved today the Company’s 2026-2030
Business Plan.
The Plan is structured around three fundamental strategic pillars:
Strengthening the competitive position: ITA Airways aims to establish itself as Italy’s reference
carrier—efficient and innovative—offering high-quality connectivity in close collaboration with the key
sectors of tourism and international trade. At the core of the Company’s strategy is delivering
exceptional service to both business and leisure travelers, with a continuous focus on economic,
social, and environmental sustainability through responsible resource management.
Network and fleet development: The Plan focuses on expanding the long-haul segment and
increasing intercontinental destinations from the Rome Fiumicino hub. Connectivity will also be
enhanced through commercial agreements and strategic partnerships with other Airlines. Meanwhile,
the fleet renewal process will continue, prioritizing energy efficiency and reducing environmental
impact, in line with the Company’s sustainability commitments and EU regulations—such as the
elimination of ETS free allowances. By the end of the plan period, the fleet will be almost entirely made
up of next-generation aircraft.
Strengthening integration with the Lufthansa Group, the world’s fourth largest Airline group, as a
strategic advantage to leverage significant operational, commercial, and technological synergies,
boosting competitiveness, the access to new markets, and driving continuous innovation in passenger
services.
Below are the key development priorities outlined in the Business Plan.
Network
The 2026-2030 business plan places great emphasis on expanding and strengthening the network,
particularly long-haul routes. ITA Airways plans to launch new routes connecting Rome Fiumicino with key
destinations in North America, South America, Asia, and Africa, tapping into growing markets and meeting
the needs of an increasingly global customer base. These new routes will not only promote inbound tourism
to Italy but also increase commercial and cultural exchanges, reinforcing ITA Airways’ role as a bridge
between Italy and the world.
In addition to intercontinental growth, the plan also targets expansion within Europe and the Mediterranean,
leveraging partnerships to provide fast, efficient connections. The network strategy is designed with flexibility,
enabling adaptation to market trends, regulatory and economic changes, and evolving geopolitical dynamics,
which will be continuously monitored.
Special attention is also given to innovating onboard and ground services, aiming to enhance the passenger
experience through advanced digital solutions, modern comfort, and initiatives focused on environmental and
social sustainability. The goal is to build an Airline that combines operational efficiency, service excellence,
and responsibility towards the Country and the communities it serves.
Fleet
The Plan calls for adding one new additional long-haul aircraft each year starting in 2026, as part of a strategy
to introduce next-generation aircraft while gradually retiring older models. The fleet is expected to average
around 100 aircraft, which by 2030 will be entirely composed of new-generation models. This supports network
growth and promotes the use of the most advanced and environmentally friendly aviation technologies in
terms of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
Alliances and Synergies with the Lufthansa Group
Over the five-year period, operational and strategic synergies with the Lufthansa Group will be progressively
strengthened, expected to deliver benefits in terms of revenue gains and cost savings. The plan also foresees
full integration into Star Alliance from early 2026, along with pending approval of joint ventures for flights
between Europe and North America (A++) and Europe and Japan (J+). These alliances are key to expanding
the range of destinations and ensuring seamless passenger services, supported by partnerships between
loyalty programs (Volare and Miles&More), cargo synergies, and a broad range of codeshare agreements.
Workforce
Starting in 2026, a program will be launched to grow and develop staff, closely aligned with the Company’s
evolving fleet and network. At the same time, initiatives will foster a stronger sense of belonging, helping make
ITA Airways an increasingly competitive and sustainable player in the global aviation market.
“I would like to express the warmest appreciation from myself and the entire Board of Directors to the people
who worked in the last weeks for the Business Plan approved today, which will guide and ensure the
development of the Company in the next five years.” – said Sandro Pappalardo, President of ITA Airways.
– “We are laying the groundwork to continue being Italy’s reference carrier with a strategic role for the national
economic system and to increase connectivity with the rest of the world.”
Joerg Eberhart, CEO and General Manager of ITA Airways, added: “Today marks another milestone for
the Company. The approved Business Plan makes it possible for ITA Airways to continue developing
sustainably through Lufthansa Group synergies. With the expansion of our network, the adoption of cuttingedge technologies, partnerships with major global players, and our commitment to service excellence, we will
be able by 2030 to bring more and more passengers—departing to and from Italy—to choose ITA Airways.
This will create attractive job opportunities and generate a positive economic impact for the air transport
industry”.
For press information:
Pietro Caldaroni, Chief Communication Officer
About ITA Airways
ITA Airways is the Italian reference carrier. The Company is 59% owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and 41% by Deut sche Lufthansa
AG. ITA Airways operates both passenger and cargo air transport services, providing Italy with high-quality connectivity to international destinations,
supporting tourism and foreign trade, as well as domestic connectivity within the Country, also leveraging integrated mobility.
Through strong digitization of processes to ensure the best possible experience and personalized services, ITA Airways places customer service at
the core of its strategy. This is combined with a commitment to sustainability, which encompasses environmental aspects (such as a young,
technologically advanced fleet to reduce environmental impact), social aspects (a strong focus on its employees and the communities in which it
operates), and governance aspects (integrating sustainability into internal strategies and processes).