The sale process for troubled flagship carrier Alitalia would kick off in the next 15 days, Italy’s Industry Minister said yesterday.

“The commissioners need to draw up a programme and are expected to start looking at expressions of interest within 15 days,” Carlo Calenda said on Italian radio.

On Tuesday, Alitalia filed to be put under special administration for the second time in less than a decade.

The government appointed three commissioners to see whether Alitalia can be restructured, either as a standalone company or through a partial or total sale, or else liquidated.

“I think, however, an alliance with another carrier is needed,” Calenda said.

The company’s board took the formal decision on Tuesday after workers rejected its latest rescue plan last week, making it impossible for the airline to secure funds from shareholders to keep its aircraft flying.

Rome also threw the airline a short-term lifeline by guaranteeing a bridge loan of €600 million for six months to see it through the bankruptcy process.