Spohr: Alitalia needs a strong partner as European consolidation continues

Lufthansa Group CE Carsten Spohr said every airline needs a partner in today’s tough environment and bankrupt Alitalia—which is looking for rescue partners—would be very much challenged on its own to make it. Squeezed by tough competition from LCCs and high-speed trains, Alitalia filed for bankruptcy in May 2017 and its rescue consortium is scheduled to present a formal offer for the carrier’s relaunch by Nov 21 in a deadline that has been moved back several times. Lufthansa had previously expressed an interest in taking a stake in Alitalia, but only after the airline had been restructured. “What are we telling the Italians: It is much more important than investing the last 10% in Alitalia—it is a question of if you are alone in Europe or you have a strong partner,” Spohr said. <br/>