The situation at Alitalia is
"tragic," with workers not getting their salaries on time, the
CEO of ITA, the anointed heir of the troubled airline, said on
Tuesday.
Last week the government had to approve an advance of 50 million
euros to Alitalia as part of aid for revenues lost in 2020 due
to COVID-19 restrictions in order to enable the troubled airline
to pay workers' salaries for April.
But the money did not come through in time for workers to be
paid on schedule on Tuesday.
"The employees are not getting their salaries on time and this
is a tragic situation," ITA CEO Fabio Lazzerini told a joint
hearing of the Lower House's transport and industry committees.
The loss-making former flag-carrier has been in extraordinary
administration for years and the pandemic has made its plight
even worse.
The government wants to restructure the airline, via the launch
of ITA, a new State-controlled company.
According to the plan, ITA would get State cash to buy many of
Alitalia's assets and it would hire around 11,000 of its
workers.
But the negations between Rome and Brussels on how to allow the
move to proceed while complying with EU law are proving tough.
The European Commission has asked ITA to show there will be
"discontinuity", reportedly asking for the Alitalia name to be
dropped and many of the carrier's slots at Milan's Linate
airport to be released, among other things.
Lazzerini said that ITA was "holding out" in the talks to be
able to keep its own handling arm.
"Out plan continues to be the aviation, holding and maintenance
part (of the business)," he said.
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