Eithad is looking at taking a stake in Alitalia. French business newspaper Les Echos reports without identfying sources that Etihad is prepared to buy shares held by minority shareholders. The Air France-KLM Group have a 25% shareholding in the Italian carrier. The pact preventing significant share trading/stake holding with Alitalia expires on 12 January 2013, making way for potential take overs of Alitalia. There are reports the AF-KL group is ready to take over, however this has been denied, with AF-KL stating it would look at an Alitalia take over no earlier than 2014.

At present Etihad and Alitalia have a code-sharing relationship on each other’s services between Italy and Abu Dhabi/SE Asia/South Africa/Australia. Etihad operates daily Abu Dhabi – Milan Malpensa services and Alitalia has recently commenced Rome Fiumicino – Abu Dhabi flights 4 x weekly.