Deutsche Lufthansa AG completed the acquisition of a minority stake in Italian carrier ITA Airways late on Friday after first making an offer for its competitor in January 2023.

Lufthansa finalised its acquisition of a 41% stake in Italian state-owned airline ITA after European antitrust remedies were put in place, it said on Friday, in a deal designed to boost the carrier's presence in the lucrative southern European market.

Germany's Lufthansa Group has completed its long-sought acquisition of Italian carrier ITA Airways, finalising on 17 January its acquisition of a two-fifths stake in the company.

German airline giant Lufthansa's investment in the Italian state-owned airline ITA Airways, which Lufthansa executives expected to be announced on Monday, may face last-minute delays. The closing of the long-agreed deal had not been announced by Monday afternoon,

Germany's Lufthansa announced on Friday that it has taken the first step towards a takeover of Italy's state-owned ITA Airways by completing an approved capital increase of €325 million ($334 million).

Germany's Lufthansa Group on Friday finalised its acquisition of Italian airline ITA Airways, closing a long period of uncertainty for Italy's former flagship carrier.

BERLIN (Reuters) -Lufthansa is set to acquire a stake in Italian state-owned airline ITA on Jan. 13, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters on Wednesday, bringing to a close years of talks. DPA news agency first reported on the date, which Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr announced at an employee event, according to the report.