A passenger plane had to make an emergency landing in Russia after one of its pilots suffered a heart attack and later died. The Aeroflot flight, which was en route from Moscow to the Black Sea resort of Anapa on Sunday, made an emergency landing at Platov International Airport in Rostov-on-Don, according to Russian state news agency TASS. An emergency landing was requested after the co-pilot, whose age has not been revealed, began to feel unwell, TASS reported. The man received medical assistance from doctors on the ground once the plane had landed, but he died on the way to hospital, according to a statement from Aeroflot. "Everyone at Aeroflot is deeply saddened by our colleague's death, and we extend our sincere condolences to his friends and loved ones," said the airline. A source from the regional emergency services told TASS that the co-pilot's preliminary cause of death is a heart attack.<br/>Aeroflot added that the pilot had a clean medical history and had passed medical tests the day before the flight, in addition to an examination in the summer. None of the passengers or other crew on board the plane was hurt during the emergency landing, according to TASS.<br/>
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The Italian government is scrambling for a new solution to save struggling airline Alitalia, after a plan involving an international consortium failed. Premier Giuseppe Conte said Tuesday that the government was evaluating alternatives. “We do not have a market solution within reach,” he said. Conte said that both Delta and the Italian state railway company remain interested, though officials have noted that Delta’s promised investment of 100 million euros ($110m) is small. Delta said it had no further comment on its position on Alitalia. Industry Minister Stefano Patuanelli said there is no longer any prospect of forming a consortium, which would also have included highway group Atlantia. Germany’s Lufthansa has limited any future role to a commercial agreement. “There have been attempts to privatize the company for 10 years, but it is of a size that the market has trouble accepting,” said Patuanelli.<br/>
Air France will return a first Airbus A380 to its lessor in February. The aircraft is currently being repainted in Malta in preparation for being handed back to lessor Dr Peters, says Air France. But the carrier adds that the aircraft will briefly return to service after painting and operate a last commercial flight on 1 January. Peters says it is scheduled to receive a second A380 from Air France in 2020. The German lessor's DS Aviation fund has leased a total five A380s to the French flag carrier. The remaining three aircraft's leases expire in mid-2021, mid-2022 and mid-2024. Air France has 10 A380s and disclosed earlier this year that all of them would be retired by 2022.<br/>