Deary me!

To last as long as possible they’re taking the 400m euro loan in stages- so far they’ve recieved 150m euros. This buys them time- but instead of doing something constructive with this time they’re just trying to go out with a bang, maybe pick up a customer service award or two- so they are basically prolonging the final collapse. This could be something to do with the Italian general election next year- Mr Berlusconis government is hugely unpopular due to the Iraq war and Italys failing economy. They suffered a landslide defeat in the regional elections this year and are expected to suffer the same fate next year, so are pulling out all the stops to win back support. So far this has failed- Italys economy has gone into recession and the countries two biggest employers, Fiat Auto & Alitalia, are on the verge of bankruptcy. So, politics has alot to do with Alitalias affairs, and from now to the end Alitalia will not be aiming to return to profitability, just to leave a legacy as a class benchmark amoung European airlines, and to give Mr Berlusconi a final election chance.

Alitalia are a dinosaur.

They have not been quick enough in adapting to the aviation industry as it is today. They still charge heaven and earth for their domestic services, consquently pax are going to other airlines.

You’re paying an arm and a leg for a service that just doesn’t justify the costs. (According to 3 seperate Italian ex colleagues of mine.)

Its appauling that such an airline gets priority service.

You cant really blame the Italians for trying to save Alitalia, even though it sucks for people traveling on other airlines, because there cheaper or more versitility in the schedules and offer comparable or better service etc etc.

None of this is new. It’s been going on for as long as I have been flying to Italy.

It’s just the Italian way and the rest of us work around it as best we can.

1L.