Etihad to obtain 49% ownership of Alitalia???

[Highkeas]

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-27658227

[LX-A343]

Poor Etihad. I hope they're prepared to throw insane amount of money out of the windows.

[AA 1818]

So, at present, Etihad will own;

-49% of Alitalia.
-49% of Air Serbia.
-40% of Air Seychelles.
-34% of Darwin Airline (which now is branded as "Etihad Regional").
-29.21% of Air Berlin.
-24% of Jet Airways.
-19.9% of Virgin Australia.
-4.1% of Aer Lingus.

So, instead of massive expansion - they're doing a global Lufthansa-esque style corporation?

I am not as opposed to this as maybe I should be, because I can only see some positives here for Alitalia. The airline has been hemorrhaging money for decades. Past the buy-outs and the mergers, the airline has yet to turn around. I hope that this will not be a blank infusion of cash, but rather a streamlining into a better carrier (albeit - with this help, a likely leaner, smaller operation).

As for the others in the group, I have to wonder what Big Daddy Abu Dhabi will ask of them.

[IberiaMD-87]

I hope that this will not be a blank infusion of cash, but rather a streamlining into a better carrier

I fear that there will be forces within Alitalia who will probably try to prevent drastic changes. Nevertheless, Alitalia is a shadow of its former glory.