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- Alitalia poised for relaunch following deal
- Alitalia on brink of liquidation
- Alitalia's future hangs in the balance after rescue package fails
- Union deal could save troubled Alitalia
- Alitalia seeks bankruptcy protection
- Alitalia rescue on hold as losses mount
- Italian government makes Euro300m loan to keep Alitalia flying
- Air France-KLM and Alitalia talks break down
- Air France-KLM poised to take over Alitalia
(27 August 2008)
The Italian government is preparing to initiate bankruptcy proceedings for state-controlled carrier Alitalia, possibly as early as Friday.
A significant portion of the loss-making airline will be liquidated and the remainder merged with privately owned Italian domestic carrier Air One. The new carrier will be owned by a consortium of Italian investors, however the government also hopes to attract investment from a major European carrier and proposes talks with Air France-KLM and Lufthansa.
The liquidation will lead to at least 5,000 job losses and almost certainly trigger union resistance.
Air France-KLM pulled out of a deal to take over Alitalia early this year in the face of union opposition. It is unclear what interest it or Lufthansa would have in a carrier they did not control.
Prime minister Silvio Berlusconi returned to office in April pledged to keep Alitalia in Italian hands. The airline is forecast to report a loss of Euro 400 million for the first half of this year and has debts of more than Euro1.1 billion.
Separately, Lufthansa has confirmed it is considering a bid for Austrian Airlines.
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