AF KLM buys VLM
Air France KLM bought the regional carrier VLM for an undisclosed fee.
VLM caters largely for business travellers on routes out of its London City Airport hub to destinations including Amsterdam, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Brussels, Manchester, Jersey and the Isle of Man.
It operates 26% of the take offs and landings at the airport.
It will now work in tandem at London City with CitiJet, a 100% owned subsidiary of Air France.
Mr Geoffrey O'Byrne-White, CityJet's ceo, said: "We see this as a great opportunity to expand and to offer an optimal product to our customers.
"Both networks are highly complementary and the new combined network will link London City with major European business and financial centres."
AF KLM begin talks with Alitalia
Air France KLM has begun exclusive talks with Alitalia over a possible merger of the two carriers.
The AF KLM bid for the troubled carrier was backed by both Alitalia's directors and the Italian government which is seeking to sell its 49.9% stake.
Both rejected the alternative bid from AP Holding, owners of Air One, an Italian low cost carrier.
Jean-Cyril Spinetta, chairman and ceo of the AF KLM, said: "We are delighted to have had our plan accepted as the best for the future of Alitalia.
Our aim is that Alitalia shares the benefits of the profitable growth strategy successfully implemented by Air France-KLM.
"It has never been our intention to make Alitalia a regional airline, but on the contrary to strengthen its role as the Italian national flag carrier and to win back its natural market share."