Air Transport

Talks are continuing this morning to secure the support of the only two of nine unions representing Alitalia staff still to back Italian investor group Compagnia Aerea Italiana's (CAI) relaunch of Italy's troubled national carrier.

CAI re-submitted its conditional offer for the carrier on 25 September after ministers brokered a deal to secure the support of the Cgil union - meaning all four of Italy's large trade unions were onboard.

Flight attendant body ANPAV was the first of the technical associations to sign up its support on 26 September, while following talks to clarify points relating to pilots, the ANPAC and Unione Piloti groupings also subsequently agreed to the plan.

The Government has now called the two remaining unions, flight attendant bodies Avia and SDL for talks this morning.

CAI made union support a condition of its offer for Alitalia. The plan calls for around 3,250 cuts from the current combined workforce of Alitalia and Air One - the latter of which is being linked into the relaunched Alitalia.