The announcement for the sale of the Alitalia brand would be ready to go. The rumors were reported by numerous national media. The brand value is still secret. According to recent estimates it worths 100-150 million Euros. The procedure will be open and transparent. Italian Government wants to avoid speculation around the logo, that has 70 years of history. So it has established that only air carriers can partecipate, not financial or industrial entities.

The passing of the baton from Alitalia to ITA, therefore, will not take place automatically but it will be necessary to participate in the invitation to tender. The procedure should have started in early September, but it has been postponed. In any case, the special commissioners of the former national carrier are speeding up. In fact, Ita wants its airplanes to have the historic tricolor livery by October 15th. ITA's strategic business plan indicates the road map, that is shared with the Italian Government. Nobody wants delays. ITA will start the first hires today.

Meanwhile, Alitalia special commissioners have already entrusted the aviation branch evaluation, consisting in 52 aircraft, 2800 between pilots, hostesses and stewards, and other assets. The assessment is necessary to allow ITA to be fully operational. There is great expectation for many crucial dossiers: the meeting with pilots and flight attendants unions at the Ministry of Treasury; the new employment contract negotiation; unemployed benefits.