Me thinks that the KLM guys have spent too much time in their cafes if they are promising not to reduce the 11,000 AZ employees (won't call them workers as this is an alien concept to most of them).
Fendant....
"and the legendary US quality carriers" who, like AZ, have all survived on massive state aid over the last few years.
AZ is one of the best examples of how toothless and useless the EU is at enforcing it's own policies. There is no way back for AZ under their current labour agreements and the Italian Unions will not change their views that the state owes them all a living. They will only survive by more illegal subsidy from their Government, in whatever way it is delivered.
The only positive to come out of this is that their is a good size market for both internal and international traffic within Italy and if (and it is a HUGE if) someone can actually get the unions and employees to see that 'money in' has to exceed 'money out' before a business can be successful; then there is hope that an Italian owend operator will be the main provider.
I just can not see the Italian Government allowing AZ to die so watch out for some slight of hand to inject a few billion Euros into the coffers - money that will come directly from the EU budget!!