ITALY: Alitalia still flying but the Italian flag carrier faces liquidation in a matter of days after a rescue plan collapsed

Record ID: 788567

  • Title: ITALY: Alitalia still flying but the Italian flag carrier faces liquidation in a matter of days after a rescue plan collapsed
  • Date: 20th September 2008
  • Summary: (EU) ROME, ITALY (SEPTEMBER 19, 2008) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF FIUMICINO AIRPORT ALITALIA SIGN ALITALIA PLANES MOVING MEDIUM SHOT OF ALITALIA PLANE (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) PRESIDENT OF AVIA UNION ANTONIO DIVIETRI SAYING: "Alitalia has still about ten million euros available, hundreds of millions of euros. It is possible to take out a mortgage, the commissioner (Augusto Fantozzi) has the duty to do that. Probably, and I understand the motives, there is the a need to heighten tension but raising the tension level will kill the company.' CONTROL TOWER PASSENGERS AT AIRPORT ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI ENTERING MEETING ROOM ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI SHAKING HAND WITH HIS FRENCH COUNTERPART FRANCOIS FILLON ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI SMILING AS HE POSES FOR PHOTOGRAPHS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FLIGHT ASSISTANT MARINA LYORENCE SAYING " "Well, I'm very very sad. Future? - there is a question mark, we don't know what is going to happen. We just want people to ask themselves why workers prefer not to have a job than to work for something where we don't what will happen and we won't have a private life. We don't have a life in this condition that they wanted us to work in.' VARIOUS OF ALITALIA WORKERS READING A PRESS RELEASE SIGNED BY THE UNIONS . (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ALITALIA FLIGHT ATTENDANT SAYING: 'I feel nervous but I am really hopeful for the future. Something good will come out of this, better than what has been offered before certainly. I am optimistic.' EUROPEAN AND ITALIAN FLAGS
  • Embargoed: 5th October 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVACV8BF5P2UUS02B6TL1H940JQ1
  • Story Text: Alitalia was still flying on Friday (September 19) but the Italian flag carrier faced liquidation in a matter of days after a rescue plan collapsed.
    The airline cancelled 20 flights at Rome's Fiumicino airport but blamed that on normal operational reasons rather than a lack of cash to buy fuel -- something which could lead aviation authorities to ground its planes.
    Operating under bankruptcy protection since the end of August, Alitalia's special administrator is due to meet Italy's civil aviation authority ENAC on Monday to see whether it can retain its operating licence.
    If it doesn't flights could be grounded within ten days.

    "Alitalia has still about ten million euros available, hundreds of millions of euros' said AVIA union leader Antonio Divietri.

    "It is possible to take out a mortgage, the commissioner (Augusto Fantozzi) has the duty to do that. Probably, and I understand the motives, there is a need to heighten tension but raising the tension level will kill the company' Divietri said explaining that it looked as though people were trying to bring the company to its knees before they would save it.
    A smiling Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi meeting with his French counterpart Francois Fillon on Friday appeared not to show concern about an Alitalia collapse. But the failure of the airline would be a major blow to Berlusconi, who, as leader of the opposition, said he would veto a plan to sell it to Air France-KLM, a deal which was also opposed by unions.
    Instead of saving a symbol of national pride, the prime minister now faces liquidating the airline, sacking 19,000 workers and seeing its valuable slots being taken by foreigners.

    "Well, I'm very very sad. Future? - there is a question mark, we don't know what is going to happen' said Alitalia flight attendant Marina Lyorence.

    "We just want people to ask themselves why workers prefer not to have a job than to work for something where we don't what will happen and we won't have a private life' she said saying that the earlier deal had been outrageous for the workers.
    Some Alitalia staff were clearly happy that the previous deal to save the company had fallen through.

    "I feel nervous but I am really hopeful for the future. Something good will come out of this, better than what has been offered before certainly. I am optimistic," said one flight attendant.
    Italian media have speculated other options for Alitalia include renationalising the airline, whose shares have been suspended from trading since June, or persuading other Italian companies to step in.
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