The Italian government has postponed the Alitalia sale deadline from 4 November 2017 to April 2018 and will provide EUR300 million in loans to keep the carrier flying in the meantime.

It previously provided EUR600 million.

 

Meanwhile, German airline Lufthansa and the UK's easyJet have both submitted offers to buy parts of the airline, which is not what the Italian authorities want.

The government would prefer to sell the entire business to one buyer.