Etihad pushes to agree Alitalia deal this month: CEO

ROME, July 16 (AFP): Etihad Airways chief James Hogan said on Wednesday he aimed to complete negotiations on buying 49 percent of Alitalia by the end of the month but stressed the company had to be "right-sized" first.
"We're all focussed on the end of this month. With our agreement, more time is allowed but our focus is the end of the month," Hogan said during a visit to Italy, where he was launching a new Etihad route between Abu Dhabi and Rome.
"We are in the final stages of the negotiations. We do need to right-size the airline," he said, as Alitalia management continued talks with unions for around 1,600 job cuts.