The Italian Government has announced that it is looking to sell 30% of its 49% share in national airline Alitalia, but who is going to buy a carrier that has failed to make an operating

profit in each of the last five years?
Industrial action amongst its 1,800 workers, higher fuel costs and general inefficiency have strangled the airline in recent years and the terms attached to the sale of the government's shares hardly come without strings.
Not only must any buyer preserve Alitalia's national identity, but it must also promise not to cut jobs or make any significant changes to the airline's present flight schedules.
Air France-KLM already holds a 2% stake in Alitalia, but analysts are mixed over whether it may consider any further investment worthwhile and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi is said to be unhappy about any merger with any foreign airline where Alitalia may lose control over its destiny. However, many argue that this happened a long time ago.