Airport slots main sticking point in Rome/EU talks on Alitalia - sources

Talks between the EU and Italy on a restructuring plan for Alitalia face a stumbling block as the European Commission demands the carrier give up a significant number of airport slots, three sources close to the matter said. Brussels and Rome have been in talks since the beginning of this year over Italy’s plan to restructure the ailing airline through the launch of a new, state-owned company called ITA. Under Rome’s plan, ITA should take over the brand, the slots and part of the assets of the old carrier to start flying with a small fleet before the summer. However, the nationalisation and injection of E3b in taxpayers’ money into the new carrier need EU clearance, and a further delay in talks between Rome and Brussels could put at risk the Italian carrier’s summer season. “That’s where the problem lies, in (Milan city airport) Linate’s slots,” one source with knowledge of the matter said. Another source said the Commission is demanding a significant reduction in the slots that Alitalia would transfer to ITA, and said the ITA business plan has not been cleared yet by Brussels.<br/>