Alitalia may slash workforce
Cash-strapped Italian airline Alitalia is planning the first mass firing since its 2008 privatisation to cut costs, but a source said it was unlikely to go far enough to persuade top shareholder Air France-KLM to rescue it in a cash call. Alitalia chief executive Gabriele del Torchio, a turnaround specialist, is expected to unveil his plan at a board meeting scheduled for today. Several sources said it may include up to 2,000 lay-offs as well as salary cuts to make Alitalia more efficient and profitable. That would leave shareholders just one day to decide on a €300m (£253.4m) cash call.