Italy seeks state-controlled shareholder consortium for Alitalia

The Italian govt is considering involving national railway company Ferrovie dello Stato and public investment bank Cassa Depositi e Prestiti in plans to keep the bankrupt Alitalia in Italian hands, local media has reported. Squeezed by fast-growing LCCs, Alitalia filed for bankruptcy in May 2017, kicking off a long process of finding a suitable investor to take on the troubled carrier. Italy’s new transport and infrastructure minister Danilo Toninelli dismissed Ferrovie dello Stato’s board in July, saying his party wanted to ensure a break with the past. He also added to uncertainty over Alitalia’s future when he said in July that he wanted 51% of the airline to remain in Italian hands, alongside a strong investor, but later said he did not mean the airline should be nationalised. <br/>