Poste Italiane may delay Etihad – Alitalia deal

The state-owned Italian postal service Poste Italiane has declared that it will only invest more money in Alitalia if it avoids taking on the airline’s past liabilities. The condition will interfere with Alitalia’s rescue deal with Etihad Airways that is currently being finalized, in which Etihad will purchase a 49% stake in Alitalia. Poste Italiane is Alitalia’s second-largest shareholder, with a near-20% stake; it invested €75 million in Alitalia late last year as part of a €500 million government-engineered rescue package to maintain Alitalia while it sought a foreign investor. Local media quoted a source that said: “The move is