It is now a matter of time before Italy will no longer have a national airline.

Italian Economy and Finance Minister Daniele Franco told journalists in Rome last Friday evening that the government had initiated the privatization of ITA Airways.

A corresponding decree was passed in the Council of Ministers.

ITA Airways is the successor to Alitalia and the subject of a takeover bid by the shipping company MSC with Lufthansa as a partner.

Christian Schubert

Economic correspondent for Italy and Greece.

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The prospective buyers are now getting closer to their goal, even if the government wants to keep the bidding process open.

After the rescue of the failed Alitalia, it is the sole owner of the successor company ITA, which of course has only half of the former fleet with 52 aircraft and around 2,250 employees, a quarter of the staff of the old airline.

In a first phase, the Italian government wants to keep a minority of the capital, but not a controlling interest - maybe 15 to 20 percent, as they say in Rome.

"This share can be sold at a later stage," the minister explained.

One will "follow the usual procedures", either a bidding process or a direct sale.

The hope of MSC and Lufthansa to get exclusive access to the data room of ITA Airways for 90 days does not seem to come true.

The government initially does not want to grant any exclusivity.

"The search for a partner for ITA is now being initiated," said Minister Franco.

28 new Airbus machines

ITA Airways was launched in October as the successor to the insolvent Alitalia.

The airline holds important take-off and landing rights at Rome Fiumicino and Milan airports.

The offer from the shipping company MSC, which has its headquarters in Switzerland but is owned by the Italian Gianluigi Aponte, is said to be between 1.2 and 1.4 billion euros, the Italian press is speculating.

ITA Airways has until June 30 to decide whether to remain in the SkyTeam alliance (which includes Delta Air Lines and Air France-KLM) or switch to the Star Alliance (Lufthansa and United Airlines).

The question remains whether Delta Air Lines and its partner Air France-KLM will make an offer.

So far, both companies have refused.

Some Italian politicians, such as Fiumicino Mayor Esterino Montino, criticized that "Italy will soon not have a national airline".

Fabrizio Cuscito of the Cgil union demanded that the state retain a majority stake.

In order to prepare for the future, ITA Airways recently ordered 28 new aircraft from Airbus, which are to be delivered in stages.

In addition, six leased A350s are scheduled to enter service this year.

In addition to the European destinations, ITA also wants to offer some flights to the United States, Japan and Latin America in the summer.