Shipping group MSC, Lufthansa offer to buy Alitalia successor – Reuters

Shipping group MSC, Lufthansa offer to buy Alitalia successor – Reuters

ROME, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Swiss-based shipping group MSC and German carrier Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) want to buy the majority of Alitalia successor ITA Airways and have asked for an exclusivity period of 90 days to study the deal, MSC and ITA said on Monday.

The state-owned airline, which began flying in October last year, is looking for an equity partner and has started informal talks with some potential suitors, in Europe and overseas, its chairman said this month.

MSC said the interest in ITA stemmed from "the possibility of activating positive synergies ... both in the cargo and the passenger sector".