Hopes fade for a new Alitalia investor

The Italian government dampened hopes that Alitalia could soon be rescued after denying media speculation that it had sought to tempt infrastructure group Toto Holding, which invested in a previous Alitalia rescue in 2008, to invest in loss-making airline.

The office of Economic Development Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio denied reports in the Italian media which said the minister and one of Toto’s controlling family shareholders had met this week to discuss Alitalia.

The government is trying to rescue of Alitalia by the end of the month to avoid mass lay-offs.

Alitalia Airbus A330-200 on approach to Boston Logan

Alitalia, which has been under special administration since 2017 when workers rejected the latest in a long line of rescue plans, needs to find investors ready to inject fresh funds by April 30.

State railway operator Ferrovie dello Stato and U.S. carrier Delta Air Lines are ready to contribute to a new rescue bid worth around 1 billion euros but there is still a shortfall of around 400 million euros.

The government has said it could invest around 145 million euros in equity in any rescue vehicle.

Via ANSA/Reuters

 

Discover more from The Dispatch

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Verified by MonsterInsights