Alitalia plane hijack attempt by agitated Kazakh

"Are you a doctor?"

An Alitalia plane flying from Paris to Rome was briefly the subject of an attempted hijack. Luckily the man was overpowered and subdued with a sedative. A flight attendant was slightly injured by his knife. Such stories are rare these days as security is supposedly tight. However, he had on his person a "small knife". This got through the rigorous French testing. Maybe he told them it was a cultural thing. Still, a knife is a knife and can cause damage whatever its size.

The inept hijacker is said to come from Kazakhstan and wanted the plane diverted to Tripoli. What for, one wonders. He was "clearly agitated" a spokesman from Alitalia said. Clearly! Maybe he had an idea to relieve the city by swooping down to the airport and gathering up disaffected Libyans? Agitated people are unstable people and it was a happy co-incidence a doctor was on the flight. I now think it a good idea for at least one medical doctor to be on all flights. This is more so after the appalling incident with the BBC reporter on a Singapore Airlines flight. Thankfully, he too was attended by a doctor who was on the flight. Anyone taken seriously ill on a plane will have to spend some time appealing to the pilot. Australians have flying doctors. We probably need a lot more doctors flying, like Dr. Liam Fox, who has dealt with four such incidents apparently.

Airlines are now so strapped for cash that the very thought of diverting a plane is unthinkable. Revenue streams going forward must be protected. So it was a gallant thing passengers did on that Alitalia flight. Spot of hijacking.? Let's subdue the so-and-so! We've got to get to Rome. The doctor was on hand with the sedative. All that remained to happen was for the Carabinieri to be waiting on the tarmac.

Alitalia cancels flights and may soon be flightless!

The long drawn out death throws of Alitalia is somewhat baffling. At least Lehman Brothers were put out of their agony quickly. The airline confirmed that a number of flights have been cancelled, but denied it had run out of aviation fuel. So something else has caused this?

They are a peculiar lot these CEOs of large businesses. It seems its all talk and no walk! Who in their right mind would supply Alitalia with any fuel unless it was cash up front?

Pass the smelling salts? No, I think a humane injection will be better!

Alitalia Aligoing Next?

The airline business is in a parlous state. OK some niche players are doing well as are some niche services, but the bulk of the plane movements are not. Some are in dire straights. Alitalia is top of this pile. It hasn't helped by the fact that this airline is saddled with a union mentality that includes afternoon naps and wanton strike action. The Italian Government is keen to keep the flagship carrier, but it is like a flying Northern Rock. The EU is watching out for "state subsidies". I would suggest that it is best that the airline does a Swissair or Sabena.

The BBC says Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi wants to keep the airline in Italian ownership with scooter manufacturer Piaggio the latest firm to be linked with a possible rescue deal. Does that tell us something? Italians make more out of scooters than airline flights!

The truth is, the airline business is on a financial knife-edge and to a great extent we have all encouraged them. Cheap flights? Umm?

Alitalia alinogood for Air France-KLM

Alitalia has been jilted! No shot-gun wedding, the courtship's over. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Franco-Dutch carrier "has definitively yanked its offer off the table". So no wedding feast.

Silvio Berlusconi will have to come up with an emergency rescue plan if this ailing airline is to keep flying. Italian taxpayers should ready themselves for their new prime minister knocking on their doors with a big begging bowl.

Alitalia is alinamess!

It was once seen as the must have thing for countries - a state airline! Fly the flag and all that. British Airways tries hard to do that for us Brits, except there are moments. And they are not the sort Perry Como used to sing about. More like Tragic Moments!

Alitalia is all over the place. Not with it's flying, but with it's business model. It's not "robust" enough. In fact, it's in "a very dire situation" according to the unions. The company boss, Maurizio Prato, has tendered his resignation as chairman, saying, "This company is cursed: only an exorcist can save it!"

Now there's an idea! The Excorcist! How about a new version of the film - The Excorcist Flies In!, all about airline bosses being "treated" for the horrors they've inflicted on their passengers! Starring Willie Walsh as himself!

Oh, I'm too much of a fantasist!