Alitalia’s future is up in air again as the only potential investor is reportedly refusing to make a formal bid for the bankrupt airline, thereby missing a Friday deadline. The CAI business consortium said that is because it had not been able to reach a deal on work contracts with the unions representing Alitalia’s pilots and flight assistants.

But a pilot’s union representative insisted it was not their fault. Antonio Divietri said: “There unfortunately wasn’t enough participation from the various players, and maybe not enough by the government as well because I didn’t hear anything from the government on this.”

This is just the latest missed deadline in Alitalia’s nearly two-year takeover saga. The government appointed special administrator for the bankrupt airline said without a binding offer to buy it, the Italian aviation authority will take away Alitalia’s licence to fly by Monday or Tuesday at the latest.

Copyright © 2012 euronews