Alitalia in a final push for its rescue

Italian national carrier Alitalia today set to work to persuade the two remaining hold-out unions to agree to a government-brokered rescue plan.

The next stage of the process will be for the prospective new Italian owners to start negotiations on selling a minority stake to either Air France-KLM or Lufthansa.

The Anpav union, which represents mainly flight attendants, on Friday became the fifth union to sign up for the sale to a consortium of investors and two pilots unions agreed to the plan on the weekend.

Two other unions, which represent pilots and flight crew, still have not come on board.

The investor group, led by businessman Roberto Colaninno, revived its 1 billion (£792 million) offer for the carrier after the added union support last week.