Since about two years now, the Lufthansa Group has been flirting with Alitalia (1–2–3). In a recent interview with Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr gave his unsalted opinion on the ailing Italian airline.
According to Spohr, Alitalia should reduce its fleet by 23 aircraft (from 113 to 90). In a restructured airline, between 5,000 and 6,000 should be employed (from the current 11,500). Alitalia’s handling should be sold to an external partner and a partnership must be found for its fleet maintenance.
Once the restructuring has been completed, and only if Alitalia is profitable, the company can be purchased, explains Spohr: “In order for the airline to have a long-term future, it is vital that Alitalia has the right partner and a drastic restructuring.”
Source: Alitalia, l’ad di Lufthansa: «Ci vuole partner giusto e ristrutturazione»
