- Title: ITALY: VOLARE WORKERS PROTEST AGAINST SUSPENSION OF AIRLINE.
- Date: 23rd November 2004
- Summary: (EUROPE) MILAN, ITALY (NOVEMBER 22, 2004) (REUTERS- ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS: PILOTS AND FLIGHT ATTENDANTS DEMONSTRATING IN CENTRE OF MILAN (12 SHOTS) 0.49 2. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) VOLARE PILOT COMMANDER ALESSANDRO MONTALBETTI SAYING: "We want to be told yes or no (if the company will continue) - if it is yes we want some guarantees and if it is no then finally the state can become involved and put the necessary money in to restructure the company." 1.14 3. GV/MV/CU: DEMONSTRATION; DEMONSTRATORS WITH GIANT BANNER (6 SHOTS) 1.38 4. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) UNION REPRESENTATIVE CGIL, SUSANNA CAMUSSO SAYING: "We want to save this company and these workers. We want the board of directors to issue a state of bankruptcy and this would lead to an immediate response by the government to make these planes fly again." 2.08 5. MV/GV/MV: DEMONSTRATION (3 SHOTS) 2.23 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 8th December 2004 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MILAN, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Reuters ID: LVA1NYWC80HUDUIQHDUYNV3PWS03
- Story Text: At least 150 workers from Italy's third largest
airline Volare have blocked traffic in Milan to demonstrate
against the suspension of the airline.
Italy's third largest airline Volare Group announced
last week it was suspending flights and ticket sales, as
the low-cost carrier appeared to inch towards financial
ruin.
The Venice-based airline, which has long been
struggling under heavy losses and debt, did not explain the
nature of its trouble - saying only that it was unable to
operate its small fleet of 21 aircraft.
At least 150 Volare employees gathered in central Milan
on Monday (November 22), blocking traffic and asking for
the state to step in and bail them out.
Unions, which battled with the government in recent
months for government assistance after 3,700 job cuts at
Alitalia, demanded the state step in and prevent further
carnage at Volare, which has 1,400 employees.
"We want to be told 'yes' or 'no' (if the company will
continue) - if it is 'yes' we want some guarantees and if
it is 'no' then finally the state can become involved and
put the necessary money in to restructure the company,"
said demonstrating Volare pilot, Commander Alessandro
Montalbetti.
The Italian government is paving the way for the
airline to go into extraordinary administration.
"We want to save this company and these workers. We
want the board of directors to issue a state of bankruptcy
and this would lead to an immediate response by the
government to make these planes fly again," said union
representative for CGIL, Susanna Camusso.
A spokesman for Welfare Minister Roberto Maroni said
the Italian government would decide on the action at its
next cabinet meeting, most likely agreeing legislation that
would allow the airline to come under the control of an
administrator.
That procedure happened to Italian food giant Parmalat
last year. Parmalat has continued to operate, protected
from its creditors, while the administrator tries to turn
the firm around.
Trouble at Volare could be good news for Italy's struggling flag
ai
rline Alitalia, which hopes to regain
domestic market in order to claw its way from the brink of
bankruptcy.
Volare's collapse would also help RyanAir, which is
aggressively expanding in Italy.
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