Alitalia rescue at risk as suitors set conditions, says source
Three investors do not see eye to eye on structure of the deal to rescue troubled Italian airline
Rome — Delta Air Lines and easyJet have set strict conditions for investing in Alitalia that could jeopardise a government-led plan to rescue the troubled Italian airline, a source close to the matter said. Alitalia was put under special administration in 2017 after workers rejected the latest in a long line of rescue plans. Italy’s populist government, which has made the relaunch of the flagship carrier one of its priorities, is sponsoring a plan that would see state-owned railway Ferrovie inject fresh funds and revamp the carrier together with industrial partners. Delta and easyJet, which have expressed interest in Alitalia, are in talks with Ferrovie, but the three investors do not see eye to eye on the structure of the deal. Without an industrial partner fully on board, Alitalia could soon find itself in trouble since neither Ferrovie nor the state have the skills to run the carrier, the source said. EasyJet has said several times it is interested in Alitalia’s short-haul operat...
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