After a 71-year run, Italy’s bankrupt Alitalia may soon slide into the history books. Several international players are now looking to carve up the air travel market in Europe’s fourth-largest economy, with two Persian Gulf carriers leading the way. Italian taxpayers have been pouring money into Alitalia for decades, but the bottom seemed to fall out when minority owner Etihad Airways capitulated to steep losses. Back in 2014, the Abu Dhabi-based carrier took a 49% stake in Alitalia with plans to slash costs and focus on longer international routes from Rome and Milan, the competitive turf where low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair had made fewer incursions. That plan faltered and Alitalia floundered. Etihad, which has made a point of investing in ailing airlines, decided to end the pain and cut its ties. Alitalia’s subsequent bankruptcy was followed by E900m in government bridge loans to keep it aloft through later this year, but the prospect of additional assistance is uncertain given the political disarray tied to Italy’s recent elections. Potential bidders are plotting various strategies for overhauling or dismantling the airline, salvaging the best bits of its network and fleet or seeking deep, permanent cuts. Alitalia’s bankruptcy administrators are working toward an April 30 deadline to assess offers. Story looks at potential bidders.<br/>
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Aeroflot plans to resume flights from Moscow to Cairo April 11 with a 3X-weekly Airbus A320 service. From June 12-July 2, the route will be daily because of the FIFA World Cup 2018 taking place in Russia. Aeroflot stopped flying to Cairo in late 2015 when Russian authorities banned flights between Russia and Egypt after a Metrojet-branded Airbus A321 crashed over Sinai 23 minutes after takeoff from Sharm El Sheikh, bound for St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport on Oct. 31, 2015. Russian authorities later formally stated that an explosive device was responsible for downing the aircraft, killing 224 people.<br/>
Vietnam Airlines has signed on Australian celebrity chef Luke Nguyen to revamp its business class meals on all flights to and from Australia to Vietnam. The three-year contract will see Nguyen, whose family is originally from Vietnam, create eight dishes for the business class menu on the route and advise on the 50 dishes the airline serves on its global routes. Bringing on Nguyen, who is the owner of Vietnamese restaurant Red Lantern in Sydney and TV host of several Vietnamese cuisine shows and documentaries, is a logical fit for the airline that appears to be expanding its brand and presence in Australia. Last year the airline launched non-stop flights from Sydney to Hanoi operating the Dreamliner on the route. <br/>