The European Commission has approved €12.8 million of Italian state aid for Alitalia to compensate the airline for losses suffered during the coronavirus pandemic, the EU executive has said.
Fourth Authorisation
It is the fourth authorisation for subsidies to Alitalia that the Commission has approved since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Total Amount Of State Aid Approved For Damages Causes By The Pandemic
The new direct grant takes the total amount of state aid approved by the EU in favour of Alitalia for damages caused by the pandemic from March to December of 2020 to more than €310 million.
European Commission Statement
"This measure aims at compensating the airline for the damages suffered on certain routes due to the coronavirus outbreak during the month of January 2021," the Commission said in a statement.
Ongoing Investigations
The Commission added that EU investigations are ongoing into two support measures worth a total of €1.3 billion that Italy granted to Alitalia in 2017 and 2019.
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