Archives: November 2008 cargo news
The News stories below are cargo / freight related stories which made the headlines in November 2008 (other archived months are shown at the bottom of the page).
For all the latest Cargo News, click on the link on the left-hand side menu. ukimports.org
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28/11/08 - Views sought on air quality plans
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)People are being asked how the air quality in the area around the Port of Felixstowe in Suffolk could be improved.
Suffolk Coastal District Council's air quality team has monitored the area and found high levels of nitrogen dioxide at the Dooley Inn, Ferry Lane.
The Port of Felixstowe and the council have been looking at ways to improve the quality of the air.
The study on air quality can be looked at on the council's website. ukimports.org
27/11/08 - Eurostar managers vote to strike
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Train managers at Eurostar have voted to strike in a row over shift patterns, threatening pre-Christmas disruption.
The Rail Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) and Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) claim new shifts have been imposed without agreement.
TSSA general secretary Gerry Doherty said the rotas undermined the employees' work-life balance.
Eurostar has said "reasonable" changes had been made to share the workload between the UK, France and Belgium. ukimports.org
27/11/08 - Driver kidnapped and lorry stolen
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A lorry driver was kidnapped and had his load of alcohol stolen at a motorway service area in Cheshire.
The man was resting at Sandbach services on the M6 motorway when a number of forced him from his vehicle on Tuesday at about 0600 GMT. ukimports.org
27/11/08 - C-charge extension to be scrapped
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The western extension of central London's congestion zone is to be scrapped, London Mayor Boris Johnson has announced.
He has revealed he is to begin legal procedures to remove the £8-a-day toll.
The move follows a public consultation in which 67% of respondents, including 86% of businesses, said they wanted the extended levy zone lifted. ukimports.org
27/11/08 - Port workers stage second strike
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Workers at a Kent port have started a three-day strike over the privatisation of their jobs.
The action by Dover Harbour Board staff started at 0700 GMT and is expected to continue until noon on Saturday.
More than 300 members of the Unite union took part in a 48-hour strike last week but managers stood in to prevent disruption to ferry crossings. ukimports.org
26/11/08 - Five routes suspended by airline
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Low-budget airline Bmibaby is suspending five of its summer services from Birmingham International Aiport.
The routes affected are to Rome, Milan, Lisbon, Madrid and Bordeaux, with the flights to be put on hold between 29 March and 24 October.
A spokesman said the move was in response to a lack of demand, with travellers cutting down on city breaks.
The suspension of the flights could lead to 65 jobs losses in Birmingham, as well as five in the East Midlands. ukimports.org
26/11/08 - Operation Stack segregation trial
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A new way to make Operation Stack work, in which lorries park during cross-Channel delays at the Kent port of Dover, is being tested by Kent Police.
The new "self-segregation" procedure is aimed at increasing the efficiency of the contraflow system used on the M20 when Operation Stack is put into place.
Kent Police is working with the Highways Agency to trial the system.
It will start at midday on Thursday, and continue for about three hours, with signs showing drivers what to do. ukimports.org
26/11/08 - BAA agrees to Heathrow watchdog
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Heathrow's owner says it will accept an independent body with the power to limit flights for environmental reasons - if a third runway is approved.
BAA says that if it wins the battle for a third runway and more flights, it will welcome being held to strict noise and pollution controls. ukimports.org
26/11/08 - New ferry route starts from Dover
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A new ferry route to France from Kent's main passenger port is to be introduced early next year.
The once-a-day return service from Dover to Dieppe, Normandy will be operated by French firm LD Lines and start on 2 February.
The vessel will hold up to 52 trucks, 300 cars and 600 passengers.
The company also plans to introduce a service on SpeedFerries' Dover-Boulogne route from 1 July with seven daily low-cost crossings. ukimports.org
26/11/08 - BAA agrees to Heathrow oversight
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Heathrow's owner says it will accept an independent body with the power to limit flights for environmental reasons - if its third runway is approved.
BAA also wants to be able to use both Heathrow's existing runways for take-offs and landings simultaneously.
If it gets this concession, BAA says it will not increase flight numbers but use the extra capacity to cut delays. ukimports.org
25/11/08 - Port workers plan second strike
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Workers at a Kent port are preparing to stage a second strike over the privatisation of their jobs.
The three-day action by staff at Dover Harbour Board is expected to start at 0700 GMT on Thursday.
More than 300 members of the Unite union took part in a 48-hour strike last week, although managers stood in to aprevent ferry crossing disruptions.
The Port of Dover said the restructuring was needed ahead of the building of a second terminal. ukimports.org
25/11/08 - Airport road link gets go-ahead
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A new road link between Manchester Airport and Hazel Grove will go ahead once regional funding has been secured, the government has said.
The road will link the M56 Airport Spur, the A555 at Heald Green and the A6 at Hazel Grove, bypassing Poynton.
The scheme is part of a government plan to fast-track public projects as a way of boosting the economy. ukimports.org
25/11/08 - New long-haul link from Stansted
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Stansted Airport has secured a deal which will see a new long-haul, low-cost airline operate out of Essex.
AirAsia X will launch non-stop flights between Stansted and Kuala Lumpur on 11 March next year.
The airline says the route will open up the first low-cost route to Australia with prices from £99 with connections available from the Malaysian capital.
Nick Barton, from the airport, described the deal as "exciting news" and a "significant milestone". ukimports.org
24/11/08 - Change to the National Duty Repayment Centre Enquiry point
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)The National Duty Repayment Centre has a designated enquiry point.
Please only call the NDRC enquiry point to:
- Request an update on repayment claims already submitted but you do not know who is dealing with your application.
Telephone number 01304 664523
The enquiry point is open for telephone enquiries between the hours of 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday only.
Requests for updates can also be submitted by e-mail to:
ndrcenquiries@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
24/11/08 - Pre-Budget 2008 - Standard UK VAT to be cut by 2.5% to 15%
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)The standard rate of VAT will be reduced by 2.5% from 17.5% to 15% on 1 December 2008. This new rate will apply until 31 December 2009, when it will revert to 17.5%. Only standard-rated sales are affected. There are no changes to sales that are zero-rated or reduced-rated for VAT. Similarly, there are no changes to the VAT exemptions. ukimports.org
24/11/08 - BERR Notice to Importers 2767
- Courtesy of BERR (formally the DTI) (www.berr.gov.uk)Notice to Importers - Imports of Textiles and Clothing Originating in China. Import Licensing Changes from 1 January 2009.
Notice to Importers 2757 published on 17 December 2007 set out the import licensing requirements for textiles originating in China for the 2008 shipping year. This double control surveillance regime was agreed for one year so that there would be an orderly transition from quotas to open trading. The purpose of this notice is to inform traders that the regime expires at the end of 2008 and will not be extended.
The European Commission has confirmed that prior surveillance licensing will not be agreed to replace the current double control surveillance regime.
Accordingly from 1 January 2009 an import licence will not be required for any textiles originating in China regardless of when the goods were shipped from China. This also means that existing import licences for goods already shipped will no longer be required when the textiles are cleared though customs.
Documentary proof of origin will continue to be required. Notice to Importers 2699 sets out these requirements. ukimports.org
21/11/08 - Raids in £50m alcohol fraud probe
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Large amounts of alcohol and £100,000 in cash have been seized in raids on a suspected multi-million pound smuggling and money-laundering ring.
Nine men and one woman were arrested and bailed after the raids in London, Essex, Kent and Dorset on Thursday.
Customs officers are investigating an alcohol fraud which involves products being diverted for sale on the UK market, avoiding excise duty.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) believe it is part of a £50m operation. ukimports.org
20/11/08 - Airline seats slashed by 236,000
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Passenger capacity on flights out of Southampton and Bournemouth airports has been slashed by 236,000 seats in the last year.
Figures from the Official Airline Guide showed a 7% drop in flights out of Southampton to 3,201 - leading to 164,000 fewer seats available.
There was a 1% increase in flights out of Bournemouth but 72,000 fewer seats.
BAA, which runs Southampton Airport, said a record 1.96 million passengers passed through last year. ukimports.org
20/11/08 - Port workers' 48-hour strike ends
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A 48-hour strike by more than 300 workers at one of the UK's busiest ports has ended.
Members of the Unite union walked out on Tuesday in a row over the privatisation of their jobs.
The workers ended their strike at 0700 GMT. Another three-day strike will be held next week. ukimports.org
19/11/08 - Plant health products - change to customs clearance documents
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)HMRC Reference: JCCC CIP (08) 70
The new procedure from 18 November 2008 is that all controlled plant health imports into England and Wales will be customs cleared only on receipt of a completed faxed copy of a Quarantine Release Certificate (QRC). Agents or importers will be able to print the QRC from the Defra PEACH system and fax it to the National Clearance Hub. Please note that Customs will no longer clear consignments with a phytosanitary certificate. ukimports.org
19/11/08 - Port workers strike 'pointless'
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A 48-hour strike by more than 300 workers at one of the UK's busiest ports has been branded "pointless" by the boss of the harbour.
Members of the Unite union walked out at about 0700 GMT on Tuesday in a row over the privatisation of their jobs.
Dover Harbour Board chief executive Bob Goldfield said the strike action had failed to disrupt sailings.
But Unite said the normal service had been interrupted and confirmed it plans another three-day strike next week.
The second strike is due to begin on 27 November. ukimports.org
19/11/08 - Thames port 'may endanger fish'
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Fishermen and marine experts are concerned fish could be endangered by dredging in the Thames Estuary.
The dredging is due to start next year as part of the construction of a £1.5bn London Gateway container port.
Fishermen say fish stocks will be affected and marine biologists fear "untold" species will be displaced as a channel is deepened for the port.
Developer DP World said the dredging would be carefully monitored and 10,000 jobs would be created by the project. ukimports.org
19/11/08 - Emergency turn in shipping lane
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A cargo vessel had to make a 360-degree turn in the Dover Strait off Kent to avoid a cruise liner that was crossing the shipping lane, a report has said.
The Grand Neptune's emergency turn in May was to avoid the Costa Atlantica, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report revealed. ukimports.org
18/11/08 - Port workers start 48-hour strike
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)More than 300 workers at one of the UK's busiest ports have started a 48-hour strike in a row over transfer of their jobs to another company.
Members of the Unite union walked out at about 0700 GMT.
Dover Harbour Board said other staff had been trained to keep the port fully open for as long as they were needed. ukimports.org
18/11/08 - Job losses confirmed at city port
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The owners of Southampton docks are set to shed 45 staff due to the downturn in the economy.
Associated British Ports (ABP) confirmed that 10% of its workforce would go at the Hampshire port.
In a statement the company said: "It is with regret that we can confirm it is necessary for a number of redundancies to be made at the Port of Southampton. ukimports.org
18/11/08 - System unavailability: New Computerised Transit System (NCTS) Web
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)Full service available except where indicated below:
Tuesday 18 November 09.00 - Wednesday 19 November 06.00
This service will be unavailable between 09.00 on Tuesday 18 November and 06.00 on Wednesday 19 November for this update. ukimports.org
17/11/08 - Ferry port strike set to go ahead
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Nearly 200 workers at one of the UK's busiest ports are planning to go ahead with a 48-hour strike in a row over the privatisation of their jobs.
Dover Harbour Board said it was confident it could run a "near full" service despite the walkout, due to start at 0700 GMT on Tuesday.
But the Unite union said it did not believe people trained to cover for its members had the necessary experience.
Kent Police warned the strike could lead to freight and traffic delays. ukimports.org
14/11/08 - Challenge to airport's expansion
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The government's decision to allow the expansion of Stansted Airport is to be challenged in the High Court by a campaign group.
Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) said the government was disregarding climate change and noise concerns.
The SSE also said the plan could have an impact on the UK trade deficit.
A spokeswoman for BAA, which owns Stansted Airport, said: "We believe it's up to the government to defend its position and decision." ukimports.org
14/11/08 - Illegal turtles seized at airport
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)More than 80 painted turtles have been seized at Manchester Airport.
The 87 live southern, western and eastern painted back turtles were seized by UK Border Agency (UKBA) officials at the airport on Thursday.
A spokeswoman for UKBA said the creatures, although not a protected species, were banned from being imported into the European Union. ukimports.org
14/11/08 - Air France strike causes chaos
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Severe disruptions to Air France flights are expected after pilots began a four-day strike against legal changes to the retirement age.
Two-fifths of the airline's long haul flights and half of all other services were cancelled as a result.
Disruption to flights operated by partner airlines, including Brit Air and CityJet, will not be as great, chairman Jean-Cyril Spinetta said.
He said the strike would cost the airline 100m euros ($127m; £86.1m). ukimports.org
14/11/08 - Virgin Atlantic plans Gatwick bid
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Virgin Atlantic says it is planning a bid for Gatwick airport, which has been put up for sale by its owner, BAA, in conjunction with other parties.
Virgin is talking to a group of interested parties about a bid for the airport, valued by analysts at up to £2.5bn.
A decision on Gatwick could be made by the end of next year.
The Competition Commission has said BAA may have to sell some airports because of market dominance concerns. ukimports.org
14/11/08 - Dartford toll increase to start
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Toll charges are to be increased by up to 50% for the Dartford crossing over the Thames between Kent and Essex.
The new Dartford Tunnel and QEII bridge fees, which include free access between 2200 and 0600, will be officially introduced at 2200 GMT on Saturday.
Day-time crossings will rise from £1 to £1.50 for cars. Lorries will be charged £2 or £3.70, depending on their size.
However, local car drivers will be able to join a scheme for 50 free crossings and a 20p rate for subsequent uses.
The discount scheme is available to people who live within areas covered by Dartford and Thurrock councils. ukimports.org
14/11/08 - Council demands airport expansion
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A Surrey council which has thousands of airport workers living in its area has said Heathrow should expand.
Spelthorne council said many of the 70,000 people who work at the airport currently live in the borough.
The authority said the airport needed to improve its performance on delays, cancellations, lost luggage and noise.
Airport owner BAA wants a third runway at Heathrow - but opponents of the plan called for a rethink after a fall in passenger numbers. ukimports.org
13/11/08 - Internet shoppers get duty break
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Internet shoppers will not have to pay customs duty on items they have bought for less than £105 from outside the EU.
The change, which comes into force on 1 December, extends the duty-free limit for goods bought online from £18, HM Revenue and Customs says.
The move will benefit thousands of consumers who buy items such as DVD players from the US, which have a 14% duty rate.
VAT will still be charged on most items that cost more than £18. ukimports.org
On the same subject of the change to the low-value goods, HM Revenue and Customs have issued a podcast:
Internet shopping
Find out everything you need to know about customs duty, VAT and other charges that could be payable when shopping online, including important changes coming into effect on 1 December 2008. ukimports.org
13/11/08 - Drugs found in shipping container
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Nearly 1,000 cannabis plants with a potential street value of £400,000 have been discovered by police in Wirral.
Officers discovered a large commercial cannabis cultivation site at an industrial unit in Tarran Way in Moreton on Wednesday.
Insp Brian Griffiths, of Merseyside Police, said the site was a "very sophisticated operation" with automated water, light and ventilation systems.
The plants were found in four large shipping containers and a nursery area. ukimports.org
13/11/08 - Councils team up on airport plans
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)An agreement to protect residents' interests in the face of possible developments at Gatwick Airport has been signed by Surrey County Council.
The Memorandum of Understanding ensures West Sussex and Crawley councils take the interests of other authorities into account when considering airport plans.
Other signatories already include Mole Valley, Reigate, Tandridge, Horsham, Mid Sussex and East Sussex councils.
The West Sussex airport was put up for sale in September by its owner BAA. ukimports.org
12/11/08 - Navy shoots dead pirate suspects
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The Royal Navy has repelled a pirate attack on a Danish cargo ship off the coast of Yemen, shooting dead two men believed to be Somali pirates...
... Pirates have hijacked more than 30 ships so far this year, twice as many as last year, with the ransoms paid to them by governments or ship-owners far higher than in previous years.
They have taken millions of dollars in ransoms and their actions have led to a hike in insurance costs for shipping and threatened humanitarian supplies. ukimports.org
11/11/08 - Heathrow runway debate a 'sham'
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Consultation over the need for a third runway at Heathrow has been a "complete sham", the Conservatives have claimed.
In a Commons debate on Heathrow expansion, shadow spokesman Theresa Villiers said the government had already made up its mind to go ahead. ukimports.org
10/11/08 - DHL Express to "exit U.S. domestic air and ground business"
- Courtesy of DHL (www.DHL.com)Deutsche Post World Net takes strong action to reduce U.S. Express loss, improve Group performance in light of economic downturn.
In order to minimize future uncertainties at its DHL U.S. Express business to a minimum, the Group will discontinue U.S. domestic-only air and ground products on January 30 to focus entirely on its international offering.
A total of 9,500 jobs at DHL Express in the U.S. will be cut as a result of the measures on top of the approximately 5,400 positions already reduced since the beginning of the year. ukimports.org
10/11/08 - High winds prompt safety warnings
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)High winds in the South East have led to warnings to drivers to take extra care on the roads.
The Highways Agency warned of strong winds affecting coastal routes through Hampshire, Sussex and Kent, with gusts reaching 60mph or more...
... Thamesport on the Isle of Grain, a port used solely by container ships, closed at 1100 GMT, leading to lorries queuing and the closure of the A228 at the Christmas Lane roundabout. It reopened just before 1600 GMT. ukimports.org
09/11/08 - Why container ships may downsize
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Author of The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger
Why the future of container shipping may be small boats. ukimports.org
08/11/08 - Lorry driver found tied up in cab
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A lorry driver was held at gunpoint by two robbers who stole his load and left him tied up in his cab in Essex.
The 39-year-old stopped at the Moto services in Thurrock when he was approached by the men, who threatened him and made him drive to a lay-by.
The truck's load of bourbon whiskey and children's toys is then thought to have been transferred to another lorry.
The driver, from Kent, was found tied-up inside the lorry on Wednesday, several hours after his ordeal began.
Essex Police said he had collected his load from the Isle of Grain, Kent, and was due to travel north to deliver it. ukimports.org
07/11/08 - Coffee machines 'hid drugs haul'
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Drugs worth an estimated £6.3m have been found inside coffee machine boxes at the Port of Dover, HM Customs said.
Officers from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) discovered 700kg (1,500lbs) of amphetamines and 120kg (265lbs) of cannabis at docks on Tuesday.
The drugs, said to be hidden inside a Polish registered vehicle, are thought to have been destined for Northampton. ukimports.org
07/11/08 - Third Heathrow runway 'critical'
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A proposed third runway at Heathrow is even more important for the UK economy given the tough economic climate, says the head of British Airways.
Willie Walsh told the BBC that expansion at the west London airport was key, adding, "we are not going to wimp our way out of recession".
Mr Walsh said despite local and growing political objections and looming recession, the need to expand remained.
"I remain absolutely convinced that a third runway at Heathrow is critical." ukimports.org
06/11/08 - Country of origin labelling guidance published
- Courtesy of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) (www.food.gov.uk)The Food Standards Agency has published revised guidance for industry and enforcement authorities on country of origin labelling, as part of its continuing commitment to improve food labelling for consumers.
The improved guidance will benefit consumers by encouraging industry to adopt consistent labelling practices. The objective of the guidance is to help food businesses, including manufacturers, producers, retailers and caterers, to comply with the law and avoid misleading labelling. It will also assist enforcement authorities in identifying misleading country of origin labelling. ukimports.org
06/11/08 - Jobs risk as airline axes flights
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)UK airline BMI is to stop long-haul flights from Manchester Airport, putting up to 140 jobs at risk.
Services to Chicago will end in January 2009, with flights to Las Vegas, Antigua and Barbados after Easter.
The firm, which last week revealed it was being taken over by German airline Lufthansa, said the routes were not profitable enough.
It comes less than two weeks after British Airways flew its last long-haul flight from the airport. ukimports.org
06/11/08 - Smith to unveil airport ID scheme
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Workers at two airports will be used to test UK national identity card, the government is expected to announce.
The Home Office's delivery plan for the ID cards said they would be issued to airside workers at all the country's airports from the second half of 2009.
However, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is set to unveil an 18-month pilot at just London City and Manchester airports. ukimports.org
05/11/08 - High power laser pointers seized
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)High powered laser pointers have been seized by trading standards officers at a container port in Suffolk.
Sixteen boxes headed for a premises in north London were found at Felixstowe Docks earlier this week. ukimports.org
04/11/08 - Crossrail gets £230m BAA funding
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Heathrow Airport operator BAA has announced a £230m funding package for the £16bn Crossrail project.
The scheme will connect Maidenhead in Berkshire to Shenfield in Essex via Heathrow and central London.
The project received the Parliamentary go-ahead in July with the first trains expected to start running from 2017. ukimports.org
04/11/08 - Port fakes seizures top £2m
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The port of Felixstowe is celebrating its biggest seizure of fake goods this year, including shoes made to look like designer brands. ukimports.org
03/11/08 - KLM announce new Liverpool route
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Airline KLM is to start daily flights between Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Amsterdam's Schiphol airport.
Airport bosses said the Dutch carrier's decision to introduce the three times a day service from March was an important vote of confidence in Liverpool.
Passengers will be able to use the service to book connecting flights to worldwide destinations.
The move is being welcomed by the Liverpool business community and tourism officials. ukimports.org
03/11/08 - T5 was 'national embarrassment'
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The chaotic opening of Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 showed "serious failings" by British Airways and airport operator BAA, MPs have said.
The event in March was a source of "national embarrassment", the House of Commons Transport Committee said.
It said the problems, which included cancelled flights and thousands of bags going missing, "could and should" have been avoided with better planning.
The companies have apologised and said the situation had improved since then. ukimports.org
02/11/08 - EU rules warning on Alitalia deal
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The rescue deal for the Italian airline Alitalia must not breach European Union competition rules, the carrier's bankruptcy administrator has warned.
An investment group, the Cai, made an offer of 1bn euros ($1.27bn; £789m) for Alitalia on Friday, despite the lack of agreement with some unions.
About 3,000 workers will lose their jobs under the rescue plan.
The Cai hopes to link Alitalia with a major European airline, but a decision is not expected for several weeks.
Air France-KLM, Lufthansa and British Airways have all been courted as possible partners for Alitalia. ukimports.org
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