Alitalia needs 1.4 million Euros a day for fuel and loses a further two million Euros a day, adding to debts of 1.17 million Euros. The CAI consortium had offered to inject 1.5 billion Euros into Alitalia and merge it with Air One, Italy’s second largest carrier.. Three of the four larger unions said they could accept the deal, but smaller ones, including those representing pilots and flight attendants, objected to the proposed loss of over 3,000 jobs and new contracts laying down longer hours for the same pay However Fabio Berti, leader of ANPAC, the pilots’ union, said his members were prepared to make “extraordinary sacrifices” to persuade CAI to change its mind and return to negotiations. Despite the crisis, Alitalia’s planes continued to take off and land normally today. Fifty flights were cancelled yesterday, but the airline said this was because of a one day strike by a small trades union. Mr Berlusconi said he still hoped for a “positive outcome” and announced that he would hold a press conference later today.
Appunti di un anonimo italiano
18/9/2008
