Air France-KLM still interested in Alitalia, Iberia
Air France-KLM is open to contacts with Italian flagship carrier Alitalia. It is also studying a possible tie-up with Spanish carrier Iberia.
By Agencies |
PARIS: Air France-KLM is open to contacts with Italian flagship carrier Alitalia, Chief Executive Jean-Cyril Spinetta said Wednesday, without detailing under what conditions it would make a bid for the struggling airline.
Spinetta said in a news conference that his airline, the world's largest by revenue, is also studying a possible tie-up with Spanish carrier Iberia.
Asked about Alitalia, he said Air France ``would listen with interest'' if the Italian government makes a proposal. ``We are at the stage of evaluation'' about Iberia, he said.
Air France-KLM Chief Operating Officer Pierre-Henri Gourgeon expressed an interest last month in the Spanish and Italian airlines.
Efforts by the Italian government to auction off Alitalia collapsed in mid-July when the last of 11 potential suitors dropped out, saying it couldn't comply with the conditions set by the government, which included maintaining employment levels.
As part of its plan to ``promptly'' find a buyer, Alitalia said last week it has chosen Citigroup as its financial adviser. The airline loses close to euro2 million (US$2.7 million) a day.
The airline is kiting out a medium range A318 jet with the technology that prevents cell phones interfering with wireless networks on the ground.
The Federal Communications Commission currently bans the use of mobile phones U.S. airspace.
On board the medium range jet, which will run services all over Europe, an antenna, GSM server and modem will manage calls and data directly on the aircraft.
Pending the approval of the DGAC, the French civil aviation authority, an initial service allowing e-mail and text communication will be run in January, and phone calls will be permitted from April.
Rollout to the full Air France-KLM fleet will depend on tests focusing not on safety, but on passenger tolerance for calls made by their neighbors.
Spinetta said in a news conference that his airline, the world's largest by revenue, is also studying a possible tie-up with Spanish carrier Iberia.
Asked about Alitalia, he said Air France ``would listen with interest'' if the Italian government makes a proposal. ``We are at the stage of evaluation'' about Iberia, he said.
Air France-KLM Chief Operating Officer Pierre-Henri Gourgeon expressed an interest last month in the Spanish and Italian airlines.
Efforts by the Italian government to auction off Alitalia collapsed in mid-July when the last of 11 potential suitors dropped out, saying it couldn't comply with the conditions set by the government, which included maintaining employment levels.
As part of its plan to ``promptly'' find a buyer, Alitalia said last week it has chosen Citigroup as its financial adviser. The airline loses close to euro2 million (US$2.7 million) a day.
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Air France-KLM owns a small minority shareholding in Alitalia. In another announcement Wednesday, Air France-KLM said passengers will be able to use their cell phones mid-air in a limited trial service to be launched in Europe next year. The airline is kiting out a medium range A318 jet with the technology that prevents cell phones interfering with wireless networks on the ground.
The Federal Communications Commission currently bans the use of mobile phones U.S. airspace.
On board the medium range jet, which will run services all over Europe, an antenna, GSM server and modem will manage calls and data directly on the aircraft.
Pending the approval of the DGAC, the French civil aviation authority, an initial service allowing e-mail and text communication will be run in January, and phone calls will be permitted from April.
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A special on-board fee negotiated with network operators will cost sending short messages at 50 cents (euro0.36), and phone calls at US$2.50 (euro1.84) per minute. Rollout to the full Air France-KLM fleet will depend on tests focusing not on safety, but on passenger tolerance for calls made by their neighbors.
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