• Alitalia, representative Lufthansa and Leogrande in hearing in the Chamber
  • Alitalia: agreement on layoffs, reduced to 1,020 people
  • Patuanelli: six months to save Alitalia or close, loan of 400 million, is the last
  • Alitalia, the sole commissioner takes office. Patuanelli: "No plane will remain on the ground"

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07 January 2020 Nebula route and times hanging in the balance for the future of Alitalia. The new extraordinary commissioner Giuseppe Leogrande announces the arrival of Giancarlo Zeni in the team but postpones the definition of the next moves to the new industrial plan coming in the next few weeks. There is very little left around: Fs, Delta and Atlanti a have disappeared from the radar and Lufthansa confirms its position without taking any step forward with respect to the availability of the commercial alliance alone. In this context, the risk increases that the little more than 4 months until May 31 to sell the company may not be enough. Concern that leads the Minister of Transport Paola De Micheli, on behalf of the Government, to warn: "The timing and financial coverage must be respected". The dossier is recently in the hands of the single commissioner Leogrande. But at his first outing, in the hearing of the Chamber, he puts his hands forward: "I still have no concrete idea about the situation", he admits, announcing the appointment of Zeni as general manager, who will support him on the industrial side in the realization of the plan . The two have already worked together in the renovation of Blue Panorama and in fact it is to that model that Leogrande looks, pointing out that "the immediate natural development is to sell to third parties", but there is also the way of "conferring in a newco as done in Blue Panorama. " What is certain is that the company burns 300 million a year, there is a situation of "precariousness" from which we must get out and in the current context it is difficult not to think of a path of aggregation, says Leogrande who appeals to employees so that everyone can row in the same direction. Meanwhile, the search for the partner starts again: next week Leogrande will resume dialogue with Delta, then it will also see Lufthansa. But the situation worries about the timing: "If there was a ready offer, it would be possible to close by May 31. But at the moment there is no", says the Commissioner, while reiterating the goal of respecting the times. The time and money to complete the work are assured, De Micheli, stating that if the commissioner then sees that it is not possible to meet the deadline, "there will be an appropriate collegial discussion in the government". The first concern of the government also remains "the maintenance of employment levels", adds De Micheli. In the game, however, the role of the FS still remains in the balance, on which the vigilant minister does not lose his balance: "he will evaluate the company on the basis of the new plan". Some clarification, however, could arrive already tomorrow, when the hearing of the CEO is scheduled. Gianfranco Battisti. Meanwhile, what is clear is that Lufthansa, although always interested in the Italian market and Alitalia, does not change its position: "for the relaunch a partnership is more advantageous than a one-time investment", explains the manager for the German Group of the dossier Joerg Eberhart, who while specifying that he does not want to give "advice", has a clear idea for the Italian company: "profound recovery", with a multi-year restructuring (6 or 18 months are not enough), lower costs and strong partners . The redundancies, however, must remain the last ratio, says Lufthansa, which promises Alitalia to become together the strongest system in Europe. Meanwhile, the situation worries the unions that are asking for an urgent meeting with the government and commissioner. And the dossier also agitates politics: Fi asks Patuanelli to report after the "puzzling trio of hearings". Salvini criticizes the government that wastes time and ensures that the League will not allow sales. Patuanelli replied, recalling the 'brave captains' of 2008 and the government crisis triggered by the League: "we have already seen brave captains running away with the League".