MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company Holding SA, which has teamed up with Deutsche Lufthansa AG (XTRA:LHA) to potentially bid for Italia Trasporto Aereo S.P.A. (ITA), wants a majority stake in the successor to Alitalia and to run the airline itself, its Chairman was quoted as saying on January 27, 2022. "The main point is to have the majority of ITA Airways. (Lufthansa) can enter as a commercial partner or minority shareholder," Gianluigi Aponte, founder and Chairman of MSC, the world's leading shipping company, told daily Corriere della Sera.

He added MSC would want to manage ITA and would not be a "sleeping partner". On January 24, 2022 MSC, controlled by the Aponte family, and Lufthansa said they were interested in buying the majority of ITA and had asked for a 90-day exclusivity period to study a deal. Aponte said MSC would not want to change ITA's management, which he described as "great," but would rather sit on the board.

In a separate report in daily Il Messaggero, Aponte was quoted as saying it was "likely" ITA could be worth up to €1.5 billion ($1.7 billion) and that MSC would verify the value as soon as it gained access to the necessary documents. "We are ready, and the deal could be closed earlier, much earlier than the 90 days," he was quoted as saying. State-owned ITA, which has replaced cash-strapped Alitalia and started flying in October, has been looking for equity partners.

If the Italian government gives the green light, ITA's management will examine details of the expression of interest and decide whether to enter exclusive talks with the two partners.