Alitalia's Italian government-appointed commissioner on
Saturday told labour union representatives that dwindling fuel supplies at the
near-bankrupt airline meant that it could not guarantee flights beyond another
day, news reports said.
"For tomorrow we have our flights guaranteed, but not for Monday. They are
no longer supplying us with fuel," Commissioner Augusto Fantozzi told the
unions, according to the ANSA news agency.
He also warned that Alitalia would begin to lay-off flight crews from 34 planes
which have already been grounded as part of cost-cutting measures, ANSA said.
Fantozzi summoned union representatives for afternoon talks a day after the
collapse of their negotiations with a group of private Italian investors, CAI,
seeking to take over the state-controlled airline.
Earlier Saturday, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi lashed out at the unions
saying their opposition to the government-approved CAI bid is politically
motivated.
Unions reject the estimated 7,000 job cuts CAI says are necessary to save
Alitalia.
"This situation worries me very much. I can't understand what is happening
and why this suicidal attitude (by the unions) exists," Berlusconi was
quoted as saying by ANSA.
"There are political motivations that have nothing to do with the needs of
the workers," the premier added.
Berlusconi, who was returning to Rome after attending a trade fair in the
southern city of Bari, said he intended to intervene "personally" in
an effort to save Alitalia from bankruptcy, without providing further details.
Berlusconi campaigned prior to his April election triumph for Alitalia to
remain in Italian hands and has championed CAI's bid as an alternative to one
made earlier this year by French-Dutch airline Air France-KLM.
Air France-KLM withdrew its bid, which was supported by Italy's previous
centre-left government, when it became clear that Berlusconi, once in office,
would have opposed it.
It is estimated that Alitalia loses around 2 million euros
(2.7 million dollars) a day, dpa repoted.
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