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Alitalia won a commitment from toll-road operator Atlantia and state railways Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) Tuesday to come to its rescue provided a number of conditions were met. The green light will avert the threat of liquidation hanging over the ailing carrier as an Oct 15 deadline set by the industry ministry for a deal expires. Two sources close to the matter said the Industry Ministry was expected to extend the deadline to give the sides time to iron out certain issues. It was not possible to obtain an immediate comment from the ministry. Several hurdles still must be overcome before the third turnaround attempt in Alitalia's history can be launched. The state-driven plan involves setting up a new company to hold the good assets of Alitalia and receive a cash injection expected to be around US$1.1b from the rescuers. <br/>

Korean Air is offering up to 6 months of unpaid leave for its employees. The plan comes as the air travel industry is struggling with rising losses, although the carrier claims it is unrelated to the company's financial situation but is aimed at increasing employee satisfaction. According to Korean Air, employees who have worked there for over 2 years are eligible to apply for leave of 3 months. The company will receive applications through Oct 25, and the leave will be available from November to May ― it can also be extended for up to another 3 months. Pilots and workers at overseas offices are excluded from the plan as their absence would affect daily operations. The measure comes as local airlines have been posting losses amid unfavorable exchange rates and rising oil prices as well as geopolitical issues. <br/>