European Commission authorized Etihad Airways and Alitalia deal
The European Commission authorized the Abu Dhabi-based airline Etihad Airways to acquire 49% of the Italian airline Alitalia, after first agreeing to give up slots on the route between Rome and Belgrade. The European Commission, which is the main antitrust regulator of the European Union, previously expressed concerns that the deal would leave the route […]

The European Commission authorized the Abu Dhabi-based airline Etihad Airways to acquire 49% of the Italian airline Alitalia, after first agreeing to give up slots on the route between Rome and Belgrade. The European Commission, which is the main antitrust regulator of the European Union, previously expressed concerns that the deal would leave the route from Belgrade to Rome without adequate competition.
The other main airline on this route is Air Serbia, which is also controlled by Etihad. Alitalia and Etihad have agreed to the deal in June this year. The carrier of the UAE preparing for the investment for months. Alitalia is a member of SkyTeam Airline Alliance last year has carried a total of 24 million passengers, but has not generated a profit since 2002.
The representatives of the Italian airline argued that Etihad will invest 560 million EUR her to revive her. But then supposedly impending restructuring will result in the reduction of 2,200 jobs in an effort to save costs, so that the carrier can become competitive.