Alitalia-Linee Aeree Italiane

Alitalia-Linee Aeree Italiane

Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. (Italian for Alitalia - Italian Air Lines), in its later stages known as Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. in Extraordinary Administration, was the former Italian flag carrier. Based in Rome, the company had been in precarious economic conditions for many years and is currently under liquidation.

The Italian government and some other organizations have invested €4.9 billion since 1998. Several attempts to take over or merge Alitalia were made between 2005 and 2009. In 2006 the government could no longer offer support to the failing airline since it had been forbidden by the European Union to inject new capital. In August 2008 Alitalia went bankrupt. Compagnia Aerea Italiana (CAI) bought the Alitalia brand and some assets for €1.052 billion ($1.33 billion), paying €427 million in cash and taking on €625 million in Alitalia debts on December 12, 2008.