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Leonard Berberi
The operational reorganization from January 2026 also in view of Lufthansa’s rise to 90% of the Italian carrier. The goal is to have a leaner and quicker decision-making company
Ita Airways, the Italian airline, is preparing from 1 January 2026 for managerial reorganization in some of the main operational areas. And with the release of “heavy” profiles. In the background, the new organizational chart will aim to make the company leaner and faster, but also more similar to that of the Lufthansa group, currently a shareholder with 41%. This is what the Courier from three sources familiar with the plans who explain that further news is expected during the first half of 2026.
The change of pace was initiated after a delicate board of directors meeting which took place last November 27, the sources continue. There the CEO and general director Joerg Eberhart would have communicated his intention to intervene to allow the company co-managed by the Ministry of Economy and Lufthansa to open a new chapter.
The company responds with a firm “no comment” to the Courier about the indiscretion. What is certain is that Andrea Benassi, former general director of Ita, leaves from January 1st and who with the entry of the Germans (17 January 2025) held the positions of head of the fleet, of the alliance network together with product management and marketing. The box left empty should be absorbed by the Sales Manager. Benassi was above all responsible for the “design” of Ita’s connection network.
Multiple sources agree that the changes — equally significant — will also concern the positions of the head of Human Resources (today Domenico Galasso is at the helm). The intention would be to also involve other offices: Legal, for example, in Lufthansa is together with Human Resources, while Procurement could become “superfluous” in the coming months given that the purchasing center is unique for all the companies of the German group.
News should also concern the Director of Flight Operations (today it is Riccardo Privitera), key figure because he is responsible for various aspects, from safety to efficiency to compliance. The turning point would thus only affect the part of the delegations in Eberhart’s “perimeter”, while institutional relations, compliance & risk management monitoring, corporate affairs & governance are under the president Sandro Pappalardo.
In an email sent to employees on December 5th the CEO of Ita spoke about the introduction from 1 January 2026 of an “intermediate organizational structure designed to make us more agile and less complicated”. In the same communication Eberhart also wanted to underline the intention, with the reorganization, to “stimulate initiatives with an entrepreneurial spirit, diversify contributions to make better decisions, encourage behavior oriented towards performance and collaboration”.
- The managers with whom it was decided to terminate the employment relationship came from Alitalia, points out those who know the company dynamics and the experiences of those involved. Most had been called by the first heads of Ita – in 2021 – to be part of the group of “founders” of the airline at the time 100% owned by the Mef. In any case, it is a transitional phase that will see a further change in January 2027 when Lufthansa will plausibly rise to 90% of Ita.
Upon Lufthansa’s entry into the capital of the Italian airline (41% after a payment of 325 million euros) many expected significant changes in the chain of command already in the first weeks. Eberhart, on the other hand, reorganized some functions, but took eleven months — working alongside them every day — before making the change.
December 30, 2025 (changed December 30, 2025 | 07:27)
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