[LuganoPirateParticipant]

Oh dear, more tears I foress as I foresaw it with EK.

Why do foreign airlines think they can actually turn round ailing Italian airlines and make them profitable? They only realise it when they’ve lost a few hundred million.
As soon as the Italians know there’s big money behind it, they will revert to form!

[transtraxmanParticipant]

This article appeared on CAPA today….
“Alitalia: Lufthansa, easyJet the only declared bidders, but only for part of Italy’s flag carrier”.

https://centreforaviation.com/insights/analysis/alitalia-lufthansa-easyjet-the-only-declared-bidders-but-only-for-part-of-italys-flag-carrier-377160

…which explains why the Italian government extended the sale date to April 2018. The Italians obviously want to sell the airline as a whole and even will be twisting more arms to form consortia to take over the airline. I do not think the Italian government will get what it wants this time. It looks like the bids, from Lufthansa and Easyjet, are the only ones which will be on the table.
…Unless of course Ryanair sorts itself out and steps back into the breach (I doubt it very much), or Qatar Airlines steps in to make an offer for the whole or part of Alitalia to add to its Italian associate Meridiana (a vague possibility).
However, patience might run out completely with the Italians and the airline could be allowed to die.We will see.

[Alex McWhirterParticipant]

In case readers missed the news re Qatar Airways and Meridiana (as mentioned by transtraxman) here’s the thread I started a short while ago.

Qatar Airways has ambitions for Meridiana.

Qatar Airways wants to expand Italy's Meridiana

[LuganoPirateParticipant]

AF/KLM certainly will not bid, as the last time they looked to buy AZ they put up I think EUR 300 million as a goodwill gesture of intent during negotiations, which failed – on staffing issues, and they never got it back!

By delaying to April 2018 LH and Easyjet will have plenty of time to consider their options and will probably walk away resulting in the total bankruptcy of the airline.
Only a madman with very deep pockets would take it on and you can’t help but feel the staff and crews would rather be unemployed than take a cut in staffing levels and salary.

Or as the old adage goes: “How to make a million from Alitalia? Start with a billion”. And even that they will try and take away from you!

[Alex McWhirterParticipant]

AF/KL will definitely not bid.

Report in today’s Le Monde [FR] quotes AF’s CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac as saying “Alitalia does not interest us, even [as] scrappage, because it has already cost a few hundred million euros to KLM [and] then to Air France.”

[capetonianmParticipant]

AF/KL is a very unhappy marriage. Introducing AZ to the unhappy home would be explosive. It might be the best thing that could happen if it forced a split between AF and KL.

[alainboy56Participant]

@captonianm — I have already heard it whispered, that KLM will split from AF, as they are indeed, the successful friendly ones, whereas AF is just like AZ, full of their own self righteousness, with Government backing to the hilt no matter how they behave or perform. So in actual fact, AF and AZ would actually make ideal bed partners.

[capetonianmParticipant]

I was involved in some work, as a contractor, for KLM at the time of the ‘merger’. I hadn’t, until then, realised how much bitterness and hatred there was between the two nations and airlines. I have always got on well with the Dutch and KLM has always been one of my favourite airlines, so we had a common enemy in the French, whom I also despise for their work practices and lack of ethics and decency. Needless to say I had a great time in Holland!

[Alex McWhirterParticipant]

Lufthansa has revealed some plans of what it might do with “new Alitalia” should it take over.

According to CEO Carsten Spohr the plan would be to make Milan a hub for its budget Eurowings subsidiary and concentrate operations of new Alitalia at Rome.

Therefore Lufthansa would have no fewer than five European hubs. Rome was chosen because Milan would be too close to those hubs at Zurich, Munich and Vienna.

Article in German from Airliners.de

http://www.airliners.de/lufthansa-plaene-alitalia/42685

[BA789Participant]

Private Equity firm Cerberus has shown interest in Alitalia

https://mobile.nytimes.com/reuters/2017/10/25/business/25reuters-alitalia-sale-cerberus-capital.html?referer=https://www.google.com/

[AMcWhirterParticipant]

Alitalia is splashing out on new designer uniforms for its staff.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2017/12/04/alitalia-wont-let-bankruptcy-stop-rolling-out-chic-new-uniforms/919029001/

[capetonianmParticipant]

“Bankrupt Italian Alitalia carrier isn’t letting insolvency stand in the way of looking good.”

Typically Italian!

[alainboy56Participant]

Theses new uniforms have been ‘rolling out’ for many months now. This is not news. And IMO – they are not particularly attractive, but still, better than the old green blazers. However ‘a leopard doesn’t change its spots’ and so new uniform or not, the cabin crew still have the same sour attitude especially the female element.

[Alex McWhirterParticipant]

Lufthansa poised to acquire Alitalia ?

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/62454-lufthansa-closes-in-on-alitalia-takeover

[Alex McWhirterParticipant]

Lufthansa could still acquire Alitalia. But it would want to make cutbacks so that its vision of a “New Alitalia” can be realised.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-alitalia-m-a-lufthansa-exclusive/exclusive-lufthansa-ceo-calls-for-significant-alitalia-cuts-letter-idUSKBN1F01RW

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