Alitalia went on the auction block on Wednesday, as Italy kicked off the process of finding a buyer to save the money-losing flag carrier. In a document signed by government-appointed commissioners, Alitalia said offers from single companies or consortia had to be presented by June 5. Bids could be to buy the whole company, restructure it, or acquire assets and contracts. Alitalia was put under special administration earlier this month for the second time in less than a decade after workers rejected its latest rescue plan. Rome has ruled out re-nationalizing Alitalia, which is struggling to compete at home against low-cost carriers and high speed trains. It has not invested sufficiently in higher-margin long-haul routes to revive profits. The government appointed three commissioners to assess whether Alitalia can be restructured or liquidated, and has given them six months to come up with a plan. Rome also threw the airline a short-term lifeline with a bridge loan of E600m to see it through the process.<br/>
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Air France has given more details of its Boost project, revealing plans to launch the new airline with five Airbus A320s in winter 2017. The Boost project was unveiled as part of an Air France strategic plan in November 2016 in a bid to regain the offensive in the face of strong Gulf carrier competition and to stem losses on Air France’s weakest long-haul routes. Air France is still waiting on agreement from its pilots, but chairman Jean-Marc Janaillac gave more information on the plans. Under the current plan, Boost’s real name will be revealed in summer 2017, paving the way for an operational launch in winter 2017. The airline will start with a fleet of fives A320s or A321s, serving three to five routes and feeding the group’s European hubs. Destinations such as Turkey, Spain, Italy and Germany are being considered. This will be followed by a long-haul launch in summer 2018, most likely with three wet-leased Air France A340s as an interim measure before Air France’s order for 21 A350s begins to deliver in August 2019. The A340s will be freed up as Air France transitions to its new Boeing 787s. At the same time, Boost’s mid-haul fleet will be stepped up to 10 aircraft. By 2020, Janaillac said the new airline will operate 28 aircraft, 10 long-haul and 18 medium-haul, representing about 8% of Air France’s 350-aircraft fleet and 10% of the group’s flying. <br/>
For two decades, the king of the Netherlands has been putting the royal in KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. King Willem-Alexander said in an interview published Wednesday that for the last 21 years, he has flown twice a month as a commercial airline co-pilot for KLM’s Cityhopper subsidiary, a regional carrier that flies among European cities. He was seldom recognised in uniform, particularly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, when safety protocols were introduced to limit access to cockpits, he said. The king would often greet passengers over the intercom, but not readily identify himself. “The advantage is that I can always say that I wish everyone a heartfelt welcome in the name of the captain and the crew,” he told De Telegraaf newspaper. “So I don’t have to say my own name. But most of the people don’t listen anyway.” Willem-Alexander, 50, became king in 2013 after his mother, Queen Beatrix, abdicated at age 75. He became the Netherlands’ first king in 123 years after three successive queens. While Willem-Alexander’s love of flying was not secret, his interview revealed far more detail about the extent of his regular piloting for KLM. <br/>