ITA Airways eyes Slovenia expansion as Lufthansa reshapes its European network

ITA Airways is pushing ahead with plans to expand its European network, including a potential new route to Slovenia. The airline, now part of the Lufthansa Group, has been growing steadily since its acquisition began in 2021. Recent moves include fleet integration and the launch of several new connections across the continent. The Lufthansa Group has been reshaping ITA Airways' operations since taking control. By early 2026, eight Airbus A220-300 aircraft will join Lufthansa's fleet, while 18 Airbus A320neo planes will fly under ITA's branding for Lufthansa CityLine. This restructuring follows a strategy to boost Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate as key hubs, with new routes to Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, Dublin, Lisbon, London City, and Stockholm already in place.

Meanwhile, ITA Airways is among four airlines bidding for state-subsidised flights to Slovenia. The programme, funded with over €10 million, requires carriers to operate the routes for at least three years. Priority destinations under the scheme include Vienna, Prague, and Berlin. ITA's proposed Rome-Ljubljana service is part of this bid, though Slovenia's Infrastructure Ministry has yet to announce a final decision. If successful, the new route would further extend ITA Airways' reach in Central Europe. The airline's expansion aligns with Lufthansa's broader plan to increase connecting traffic through Rome. A decision on the subsidised flights is expected shortly from Slovenian authorities.