Lufthansa could make Milan's Malpensa Airport part of its hub network in the longer term as it bulks up its presence in Italy, board member Karl Ulrich Garnadt said on Wednesday.
"Malpensa is the right choice for us for our build up in Italy. The possibility is there to develop the airport as a hub," Garnadt said at a presentation of Lufthansa's new Italian unit.
Lufthansa had been touted as a possible candidate to tie up with Italy's Alitalia but lost out to Air France-KLM.
Garnadt said the group is considering further network expansion in Italy and did not rule out operating a connection between Milan's Malpensa and Rome's Fiumicino airport.
The lucrative route between the country's business capital, Milan, and political capital Rome is dominated by Alitalia, which operates these flights from Milan's Linate Airport -- nearer the city center than Malpensa.
Garnadt said Lufthansa might reconsider an appeal to European Union antitrust authorities over the Linate-Rome connection.
The EU antitrust had previously rejected an appeal about this connection, but that was before Italian airline Air One joined former flagship carrier Alitalia in its alliance with Air France-KLM.
"We are investigating all the options available," he said, adding Lufthansa Italia was for business clients.
"Obviously if they gave us the Linate-Rome landing rights we would start tomorrow," he said.
Garnadt ruled out Lufthansa taking an equity stake in Milan airports' operator Sea.
Lufthansa, which already operates flights at Malpensa together with its Air Dolomiti unit, will launch Lufthansa Italia's first flight on February 2 and by the end of March will have eight destinations and 126 flights a week.
Garnadt said the group could be interested in the slots at Malpensa that Alitalia has relinquished.
"Alitalia has reduced its capacity at Malpensa and has no intention to change its offer at the airport. This automatically releases slots," Garnadt said.
He said Lufthansa will invite its Star Alliance partners to fly into Malpensa "as a gateway into Italy".
