Air France-KLM has said it is ready to take a minority stake in a new company being set up to help re-launch the near-bankrupt Italian flag carrier Alitalia.
'Air France-KLM confirms its interest and its wish to continue as the strategic partner for Alitalia,' a company spokeswoman said.
'With this in mind, and if prospects for the new company are confirmed, Air France-KLM is ready to take a minority stake in the capital (of the new company) alongside the investors gathered together by (Italian bank) Intesa Sanpaolo,' she added.
Earlier, Italy's government had moved to clear the way for the rescue of Alitalia, adopting a new bankruptcy bill so that a takeover plan can be carried out.
The legislation would allow failing companies to speed up certain procedures such as disposing of shares and laying off workers.
This key measure for Alitalia was adopted at a meeting of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's cabinet.
It also relaxed certain anti-trust rules so as to allow Italy's second carrier Air One to take part in the rescue.
The proposals will be submitted to Alitalia management tomorrow.
Italian media reported Tuesday that a new company had been formed to take over the ailing airline's healthy assets as a part of a long-awaited rescue. Its debt and loss-making operations would be moved into another company.
