di Leonard Berberi
The Lufthansa-backed carrier would link Milan and Lima using the same aircraft that serve Rome, avoiding the cost of a new base
Ita Airways is preparing to launch flights at Milan Malpensa. The project is initially designed to serve Lima, the Peruvian capital, and thereby block Emirates’ expansion plans, using an aircraft rotation that does not require opening an operating base in Lombardy, Corriere has learned from discussions under way at the Italian carrier’s headquarters. The airline confirms its intentions.
It is a twist in Italian skies. Ita had left Malpensa out of its business plan, an airport where Alitalia lost millions of euros, to concentrate on its Rome Fiumicino hub and on Milan Linate. Lufthansa Group, which joined the shareholder base in January 2025 (with a 41% stake), had not changed the setup either: with around 100 aircraft in its fleet, Ita would not be able to run two hubs, including doubling the network of feeder flights for long-haul services. Ita’s last scheduled services from Malpensa date back to January 2024 (to New York).
What changed the picture was Emirates’ request, revealed exclusively by Corriere this summer, to be authorized
