German airline Lufthansa is in talks to buy a 40% stake in the successor to state-owned Alitalia, two people familiar with the negotiations said, following a press report that a deal could be revealed next week.
One of the sources, who asked not to be identified, said that talks on the partnership between German state-owned part-owned Lufthansa and ITA Airways are still ongoing with all possible outcomes, adding that the stake price is still under negotiation.
The second source said Lufthansa and ITA were in talks about selling a 40% stake, but that it could take more than a few days to reach a comprehensive agreement.
A Lufthansa spokesperson declined to comment, but reiterated an earlier statement that the German carrier was open to the possibility of a partnership with ITA.
