An article on the first Italian newspaper explains the financial troubles of AZ. They say that AZ loses 630.000 euros per day and that the remaining cash for the company is down to 300 millions.
http://www.repubblica.it/economia/20...ggio-49189043/

They also remind that on January 12th the lock-up clause for the Italian investors will expire, and they will able to sell (possibly to AF).

Some of these things have been already mentioned on these boards, but a couple of elements put forward in the article are new to me. First, I did not imagine that AZ was losing that much, and that (as the article says) the would sell at AF at a bargain price. Second, and most worrying, the article suggest that a possible way out is for AZ to go back in public hands, which to me would be the worst possible outcome.

I am sorry for AZ, because despite the many issues that they still have to solve (ridicolous IT services, bad after-sales services and management of irrops, as discussed many times here) I am happier and happier with their product. Yesterday evening I was on an intra-european AZ operated flight (in Y), and the experience on board was better than AF and KL.

PS: What I read (and posted) is a short version of a longer article that is available in the print version of the newspaper, but I don't have access to it now.