Struggling Alitalia needs to raise over €400 million to stay afloat

Struggling Italian airline Alitalia has hired the boutique investment bank Leonardo & Co to help tackle a liquidity crisis that may see it running out of cash before the year’s end.

Struggling Italian airline Alitalia has hired the boutique investment bank Leonardo & Co to help tackle a liquidity crisis that may see it running out of cash before the year’s end.

The move is aimed at finding ways to raise more than €400m to keep the loss-making carrier afloat, a source familiar with the situation said. Alitalia has struggled to make a profit throughout its life and has been bailed out repeatedly by the Italian state.

It agreed salary cuts with unions in June and its chief executive and board members reduced their pay by 20% ahead of a new strategic plan.

The airline, which quadrupled its net loss to €280m in 2012, said in July it needed €300m this year to keep running but expected to break even by 2015.

The airline, which is 25% owned by Air France-KLM, was rescued from bankruptcy in 2008 and bought by a consortium of Italian companies including Intesa Sanpaolo bank, road operator Atlantia and holding company IMMSI, the owner of scooter-maker Piaggio.

The investors may sell out after the expiry in mid-October of a lock-up period, paving the way for new shareholders.

Alitalia said in a statement it had hired the bankers, owned by the Banca Leonardo group and founded by Gerardo Braggiotti, to “assist the company in its relationships with the banks”.

Italian newspapers said last month Alitalia was in talks with Etihad Airways on a commercial deal that might lead to the Abu Dhabi-based carrier taking a stake.

Alitalia and Etihad were also mentioned in the context of a possible tie-up earlier this year, but Etihad said at the time there were no talks between the two firms beyond those on code sharing.

Etihad was not available for comment on Tuesday but a source at the carrier said that, with a stake in Air Berlin and a commercial partnership with Air France-KLM, Etihad was not keen on another investment in a European carrier.

Alitalia this year hired turnaround specialist Gabriele del Torchio to lead it back to profit.

The airline has pushed back to the end of September the approval of its mid-year financial statement, that was due to be approved by the board, mainly to address a tax dispute.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

Share to...