Italy gov't tries to save crisis-hit national carrier Alitalia

Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni held a meeting over carrier Alitalia Wednesday with cabinet ministers in bid to save the largest airlines in the country.

Transport Minister Graziano Delrio, Labor Minister Giuliano Poletti and Industry Minister Carlo Calenda attended the meeting, according to Ansa news agency.

The government is looking for options to keep the troubled carrier operating after workers rejected a business plan featuring redundancies and wage cuts. But Gentiloni ruled out the possibility that the government could retake control of Alitalia.

The former flag-carrier is set to be put in administration under government-appointed commissioners after the agreement the management reached with unions featuring redundancies and pay cuts was voted down by the staff.

"I said it before and I say it now too -- the conditions do not exist to nationalize Alitalia," Gentiloni said after visiting the Rummo pasta plant in the southern city of Benevento.

"Nevertheless, the government feels committed to defending workers, users, taxpayers and citizens so that the company's assets and resources are not wasted.

"We'll work, although the outcome of the worker vote makes the challenge even more difficult," he said.

Gentiloni also said he was disappointed Alitalia workers had rejected the plan and admitted he was worried about the company's future.

"I cannot silence the concern about what is happening to Alitalia," he said. "It is necessary to be on the market to compete. I am disappointed that the opportunity of the agreement between the company and the unions was not accepted," he added. Endit