Italian government puts its National airline carrier, Alitalia up for sale

Italian government puts its National airline carrier, Alitalia up for sale

According to Italy's economic development minister, Carlo Calenda the government of Italy will begin accepting offers for it's struggling national carrier in the next 15 days. The airline, Alitalia has been in a downward spiral for years, and at this stage no rival has stepped forward to publicly express interest in a deal. On Tuesday, Alitalia applied to enter administration after staffers rejected a major cost-cutting plan designed to salvage the carrier.

The airline was thrown a major lifeline in 2008, when the state and a consortium formed by a number of Italian companies jumped in to save the national carrier. It was restructured again in 2014, when Etihad Airways, the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates, bought a 49% stake.

An opinion poll published by Italian newspaper La Repubblica said that 77% of Italians think the airline should be allowed to fail. Alitalia has 122 aircraft flying to 80 destinations across Italy and to international hubs.