ITALIAN flag carrier Alitalia has attracted bids from London-based budget carrier EasyJet and Atlanta's Delta Airlines as Italy renews attempts to sell the bankrupt company.
EasyJet said it had submitted a revised expression of interest in Alitalia, while Delta also presented a proposal, according to the Ansa news agency. Italy's state railway Ferrovie dello Stato said it had also made an offer.
The bids raise the prospect of Alitalia gaining multiple owners, with EasyJet bringing its expertise to bear on short-haul operations, and Atlanta-based Delta helping to run lucrative long-haul flights out of Milan and Rome. Ferrovie would most likely act as an anchor investor.
Alitalia went into bankruptcy last year when Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways, then a 49 per cent shareholder rejected a EUR2 billion (US$2.3 billion) recapitalisation tied to 1,600 job cuts from a workforce of 12,500.
The airline has survived on a EUR900 million bridge loan that expires in December, though the facility could be extended while the government continues the search for investors, according to Italian press reports.
EasyJet said it had submitted a revised expression of interest in Alitalia, while Delta also presented a proposal, according to the Ansa news agency. Italy's state railway Ferrovie dello Stato said it had also made an offer.
The bids raise the prospect of Alitalia gaining multiple owners, with EasyJet bringing its expertise to bear on short-haul operations, and Atlanta-based Delta helping to run lucrative long-haul flights out of Milan and Rome. Ferrovie would most likely act as an anchor investor.
Alitalia went into bankruptcy last year when Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways, then a 49 per cent shareholder rejected a EUR2 billion (US$2.3 billion) recapitalisation tied to 1,600 job cuts from a workforce of 12,500.
The airline has survived on a EUR900 million bridge loan that expires in December, though the facility could be extended while the government continues the search for investors, according to Italian press reports.