Reports from Rome suggest that ALITALIA is close to getting a capital injection of EUR 300 million from Etihad Airways. Talks are in an advanced stage at this time. This would effectively make Etihad the largest share holder in the ALITALIA Group. Etihad may thus be the ‘White Knight’ the Italian carrier desperately needs to survive.

The two airlines already have a strong commercial relationship via joint services and code-sharing. ALITALIA serves Abu Dhabi from its Rome Fiumicino hub and Etihad flies to Milan Malpensa. Links between Italy and Abu Dhabi will be further strengthened with new Etihad daily services to Rome from 15 July 2014. The deal will form a platform for co-operation on joint services Europe – UAE – Asia/Oceania. There are rumours that ALITALIA may operate onwards to Australia to either Melbourne or Sydney on behalf of Etihad via Abu Dhabi.

Etihad has a variety of diversified stakes in carriers such as Air Serbia (formerly JAT-Yugoslav Airlines), Virgin Australia, Air Seychelles and the re-branding of Swiss based Darwin Airlines to become Etihad Regional.