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Delta May Be Frontrunner in Talks for Alitalia Deal: Stampa

  • Lufthansa also seen in the running for Italian carrier
  • Talks with Delta officials in Atlanta scheduled for next week
An Alitalia SpA aircraft takes off from Fiumicino airport in Rome, on Jan. 4, 2017.

An Alitalia SpA aircraft takes off from Fiumicino airport in Rome, on Jan. 4, 2017.

Photographer: Alessia Pierdomenico/Bloomberg
Updated on

Italian executives will meet with Delta Air Lines Inc. managers in Atlanta to discuss a potential transaction with the country’s bankrupt flag-carrier Alitalia, La Stampa reported, citing an unidentified official familiar with the plan.

The Italian government may favor a deal for Delta over Deutsche Lufthansa AG because it would be easier to implement and wouldn’t require job cuts, the newspaper cited the official as saying. Alitalia’s partnership with Delta would involve mainly long-haul flights to the U.S., while a deal with Lufthansa could focus on the Italian market, according to Stampa.