Alitalia given further extension

Troubled carrier Alitalia has been granted an extra extension by Italy’s industry ministry to gain a binding bid by 21 November. The deadline for bids had been set for 15 October but that period came and went without an agreement set by a potential rescuer. Potential rescuers are said to include state-owned railway group Ferrovie dello Stato, US carrier Delta Air Lines and infrastructure group Atlantia.  Alitalia administrators have been asked by the ministry to be directly involved in talks among potential rescuers and keep the ministry afloat on the progress of negotiations.