 The Board reiterated Alitalia's need for substantial financial support, as forecast in this year's budget and in the contract set up with Air France-KLM, and that only by means of such support would it be possible to regain the required confidence to pursue the Company's business plan and hence to ensure continued operations.,

The Italian government decided on 22 April 2008 to give Alitalia an emergency loan of €300m ($475m) in an attempt to stave off the airline's collapse.The outgoing administration of Romano Prodi agreed the lifeline with new Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who was elected in office in April 2008.Alitalia must prevent its capital from sinking below the threshold set by European rules.