Air France-KLM chairman said the planned purchase of Alitalia would create a European champion and the airline wouldn't abandon Milan's airport hub.
Jean-Cyrill Spinetta, chairman of Air France, said the airline does not plan to abandon Milan and will keep a very dense network.
Politicians in northern Italy oppose the Franco-Dutch carrier's plan to make Rome the nation's main airport hub at the expense of Milan.
Spinetta said he planned to change the flight schedule for Milan's Malpensa airport, giving business clients better offers to reach major destinations in Europe.
The chairman of Air France-KLM said talks in Rome to discuss the Franco-Dutch carrier's plans to buy Alitalia had been very useful.
Spinetta met with Italian Finance Minister Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa, whose ministry controls Alitalia with a 49.9 percent stake. He also met separately with Alitalia chairman Maurizio Prato and with a labour union leader.
He said Air-France doesn't intend to buy Alitalia but to build a European champion.
The Italian government picked the Franco-Dutch carrier on December 28, 2007, to hold exclusive takeover talks for eight weeks, preferring it to a rival bid from smaller domestic airline Air One.
Spinetta said the eight-week exclusive talk period with Alitalia is slated to start at the end of this week, when Air france-KLM will officially sign a letter with Italy's Finance ministry.
Spinetta is trying to persuade Italian politicians, labour unions, and Alitalia employees that Air France-KLM is best placed to turn around the struggling airline.
The head of the Ugl union, Renata Polverini, after meeting with Spinetta, said that Alitalia's Prato is aiming for the Italian government to end up with a five percent stake in Air France-KLM following the sale of its Alitalia shares.
Spinetta confirmed plans to lay off about 1,700 Alitalia workers from a total of 20,000 staff.
Air France-KLM has said it aims to purchase 100 percent of Alitalia stock through an exchange offer, but hasn't disclosed a price. It is proposing to inject US$1.10 billion into Alitalia through a capital increase.
Spinetta said if the outcome of the talks is positive, a holding controlling 100 percent of Air France-KLM/Alitalia would ensure the company will remain listed in Milan, as well as keeping its current listings in Paris and Amsterdam.
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