A runway lounge “Where style takes off” is the slogan for the new ITA Airways lounge at Milan Linate Airport. It is a space imbued with the flavour of Italian excellence: the red of Campari, the aroma of illycaffè, the lighting by iGuzzini, and the clean, comfortable lines of Poltrona Frau. A place that evokes the very identity of the city of Milan, the beating heart of fashion and design.
But there is also the vision of a CEO, Joerg Eberhart, who, with his feet firmly on the ground, is focusing on the company's priorities in the wake of Lufthansa's 41% stake in the company. A CEO who is aiming for a “sustainable break-even” after the 2024 financial statements recorded a positive EBIT for the first time.
Now, the Italian airline's entry into the German giant's ranks may or may not be welcome. But “the German from Verona” (Eberhart has lived in the Veneto city for some time and speaks perfect Italian after being at the helm of Air Dolomiti for over seven years, but with a professional career that also saw him as a flight attendant and then a pilot on the A320) seems to have found some solid ground on which to steer ITA towards the LH Group's stated goal of an 8% margin (as for all the Group's carriers).
In an international context that would be an understatement to describe as complex - and therefore makes it “difficult to make predictions for the coming months” - Eberhart is counting on synergies with the Lufthansa Group (which will be more tangible when the Germans increase their stake in the Italian carrier, potentially as early as June) and on the entry into the joint venture with United Airlines and Air Canada. And there is also room for the return of the beloved old Alitalia brand: “We don’t yet have a definite plan for when and how it will return, but it will certainly be promoted.”
Mariella Cattaneo
Journalist
