LONDON (AFP) — The near-bankrupt Italian airline Alitalia has sold some of its coveted landing slots at London's Heathrow airport for record prices, the Financial Times reported Thursday.
The struggling carrier revealed Monday that it had agreed to sell almost one quarter of its Heathrow landing slots for about 67 million pounds (92 million euros, 133 million dollars).
The FT, which did not cite its source, reported that one pair of slots had been sold for a record 30 million pounds, more than double the price two years ago.
The business daily added that the landing slots were sold to Continental Airlines, US Airways and British Airways.
Alitalia, beset by high operating costs and fierce competition from budget rivals, loses about one million euros per day.
Last week, management at the carrier threw their weight behind a recue takeover plan proposed by Air France-KLM, the world's largest airline by revenues.
The Italian government owns a 49.9 percent stake in Alitalia and is expected to come to a decision on the future of the company next month.
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