EU rules warning on Alitalia deal
The rescue deal for the Italian airline Alitalia must not breach European Union competition rules, the carrier’s bankruptcy administrator has been warned.
An investment group, the Compagnia Aerea Italiana (CAI), made an offer of £789 million (1bn euros) on Friday, despite the lack of agreement with some unions.
About 3,000 workers will lose their jobs under the rescue plan. The CAI hopes to link Alitalia with a major European airline, but a decision is not expected for several weeks.
Air France-KLM, Lufhansa and British Airways have all been courted as possible partners for Alitalia.
The rescue offer from the CAI came after lengthy talks with Alitalia’s trade unions, which broke down on several occasions.
Alitalia’s bankruptcy administrator, Augusto Fantozzi will study the offer this week, but has said any deal must not violate EU competition rules.
The unions had accepted the CAI’s takeover of Alitalia in principle but the airline’s pilot and flight staff unions have not agreed to the CAI’s detailed terms.
Without a binding rescue offer, Alitalia would have been forced to seek new funding within weeks to keep itself going or risk bankruptcy.EU rules warning on Alitalia deal
The rescue deal for the Italian airline Alitalia must not breach European Union competition rules, the carrier’s bankruptcy administrator has been warned.
An investment group, the Compagnia Aerea Italiana (CAI), made an offer of £789 million (1bn euros) on Friday, despite the lack of agreement with some unions.
About 3,000 workers will lose their jobs under the rescue plan. The CAI hopes to link Alitalia with a major European airline, but a decision is not expected for several weeks.
Air France-KLM, Lufhansa and British Airways have all been courted as possible partners for Alitalia.
The rescue offer from the CAI came after lengthy talks with Alitalia’s trade unions, which broke down on several occasions.
Alitalia’s bankruptcy administrator, Augusto Fantozzi will study the offer this week, but has said any deal must not violate EU competition rules.
The unions had accepted the CAI’s takeover of Alitalia in principle but the airline’s pilot and flight staff unions have not agreed to the CAI’s detailed terms.
Without a binding rescue offer, Alitalia would have been forced to seek new funding within weeks to keep itself going or risk bankruptcy.
Showing posts with label EU. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EU. Show all posts
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
Thursday, 23 October 2008
Europe delays airport X-ray eye
EU lawmakers have delayed the introduction at airports of full body scanners, machines that generate images of passengers without their clothes.
MEPs voted for a further study on the implications for privacy and health. Computer pictures generated by the scanners give an outline of passengers bodies beneath their clothes.
Supporters say they detect hidden objects not picked up by traditional metal detectors. But critics say they amount to a virtual strip search.
The new scanners have already been introduced in several US airports and have been tested around the world.
The European Commission - which supports their implementation - has given assurances that the scanners will not be used routinely on all passengers.
“The Commission believes that body scanning methods can complement in a very effective and efficient way the existing security measures at airports,” said spokesman Jens Mester at EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
MEPs voted for a further study on the implications for privacy and health. Computer pictures generated by the scanners give an outline of passengers bodies beneath their clothes.
Supporters say they detect hidden objects not picked up by traditional metal detectors. But critics say they amount to a virtual strip search.
The new scanners have already been introduced in several US airports and have been tested around the world.
The European Commission - which supports their implementation - has given assurances that the scanners will not be used routinely on all passengers.
“The Commission believes that body scanning methods can complement in a very effective and efficient way the existing security measures at airports,” said spokesman Jens Mester at EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
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