From the BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3631022.stm Troubled Italian airline Alitalia has revealed a restructuring plan which=20 would involve the loss of 5,000 jobs. The announcement came after a meeting with representatives of nine unions,= =20 who have yet to react officially. The redundancies would represent close to a quarter of the state-controlled= =20 carrier's 20,700 staff. The plan would see Alitalia split into AZ Service and AZ Fly, with the=20 airline breaking even in 2006, and making 1.027bn euros(=A30.7bn;$1.24bn) by= =20 2008. Alitalia Fly would manage air transport activities, with 7,800 staff, and=20 Alitalia Service would handle the ground service business with 8,500 staff. The redundancy plan would see the loss of 1,570 crew jobs (made up of 450=20 pilots, 1,050 flight attendants and 70 flight operation service staff). Among ground staff, the company intends to cut 1,440 maintenance jobs, 900= =20 in handling, 360 in marketing and sales, 610 corporate jobs and 120 in=20 cargo transportation. Trading in Alitalia shares had earlier been suspended at the close of the=20 Milan stock market, after they had closed up 4% to reach 0.22 euros. Alitalia needs to get unions to agree to the plan by 15 September in order= =20 to qualify for a bridging loan of 400m euros ($482m; =A3271m). Alitalia previously said it would have sufficient financial resources to=20 operate until the end of March 2005 if it obtains the bridging loan. EU's transport commissioner Loyola de Palacio has warned that any cash=20 injection from the state under a deal where the government remains a=20 majority shareholder would be rejected by the Commission. As much as 2bn euros is thought to be needed to keep the 57-year-old=20 airline flying. Alitalia made a net loss of 520m euros in 2003 after making a profit the=20 year before.=20