Italy says has one less option to save Alitalia

(Reuters) - The Italian Treasury, which has a 49.9 percent stake in Alitalia, is struggling to decide its next move to salvage the money-losing carrier after its seven-month auction collapsed earlier this month.




Economy Minister Tomasso Padoa-Schioppa last week said Rome was debating whether to start a new bidding process from scratch or begin direct talks with potential suitors, but backed away from the latter option on Sunday.


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MatlinPatterson still wants Alitalia: source

(Reuters) - The Italian government set next Monday as the deadline for bids for Alitalia, but Prime Minister Romano Prodi has acknowledged that the auction process has virtually collapsed. However, his government has suggested it would start private talks to keep a sale alive.




MatlinPatterson was the last remaining contender in the auction after the front-runner, Air One, pulled out Tuesday.


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