(Alliance News) - Europe's low-cost airline EasyJet PLC is set to fly more frequently between Italian and German airports after Italian authorities granted numerous take-off and landing rights in Milan and Rome, under pressure from the EU.

The move is intended to compensate for competitive disadvantages that would otherwise have arisen, in the view of EU officials, from the imminent entry of Germany's Lufthansa Group into the Italian state airline Ita.

From March 27, new routes to and from Italy will be offered from the two airports, EasyJet announced on Wednesday. These include six new routes to Germany, for which around 500,000 seats will be offered immediately.

Hamburg and Frankfurt will receive direct flights to and from Milan and Rome from March 30. In addition, there will be connections between Dusseldorf and Milan and between Munich and Rome. Luton, England-based EasyJet had no presence in Frankfurt until recently.

Along with other airlines, EasyJet has criticized the high state taxes and fees at German airports, which it says make it difficult to operate profitably.

The airline's largest German location is Berlin. EasyJet Europe, based in Vienna, is part of the London-based Easygroup, the second largest low-cost airline in Europe after Ireland's Ryanair.

easyJet shares were 0.5% lower at 574.20 pence each on Wednesday morning in London.

source: dpa

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