ALITALIA's rescue by Italy's state-owned railway and investors including Delta Air Lines may be weeks away, people familiar with the matter said, according to Bloomberg.
The airline loses EUR700,000 (US$789,000) a day and has hasn't posted profit in 15 years. Taxpayers have spent EUR10 billion since 2008 to keep it going.
Alitalia has been under special administration for more than two years and now faces either liquidation or de-facto nationalisation.
Ferrovie dello Stato SpA is set to tell the carrier that its rescue plan has attracted potential investors, including Delta and Atlantia SpA, the people said. Atlantia, the Benetton family's industrial arm that operates Rome's airports, has confirmed its interest, but said it may want changes to the rescue designed by the state-controlled railway.
Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio, who is leading the latest effort to save the flagship carrier, has been forced to relax the government's deadline for binding offers and will now accept an expression of interest, according to an official in Di Maio's economic development ministry.
Ferrovie and Atlantia declined to comment. Delta confirmed its interest in becoming a minority shareholder.
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The airline loses EUR700,000 (US$789,000) a day and has hasn't posted profit in 15 years. Taxpayers have spent EUR10 billion since 2008 to keep it going.
Alitalia has been under special administration for more than two years and now faces either liquidation or de-facto nationalisation.
Ferrovie dello Stato SpA is set to tell the carrier that its rescue plan has attracted potential investors, including Delta and Atlantia SpA, the people said. Atlantia, the Benetton family's industrial arm that operates Rome's airports, has confirmed its interest, but said it may want changes to the rescue designed by the state-controlled railway.
Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio, who is leading the latest effort to save the flagship carrier, has been forced to relax the government's deadline for binding offers and will now accept an expression of interest, according to an official in Di Maio's economic development ministry.
Ferrovie and Atlantia declined to comment. Delta confirmed its interest in becoming a minority shareholder.
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