Italy’s centre-left government on Wednesday night prepared to name a possible buyer for loss-making Alitalia amid concerns expressed by the International Air Transport Association (Iata) that the national carrier’s plight posed a threat to other airlines through the industry’s financial clearing system.

“Alitalia is one of a small group of airlines that we monitor very carefully,” Giovanni Bisignani, Iata director general and a former Alitalia chief executive, said.

Iata acts as the clearing system for transferring necessary payments between international airlines. “We must defend $310bn of members’ funds,” said Mr Bisignani. “Iata is carefully monitoring the financial status of Alitalia to keep it in the settlement system.”

The warning from Iata that the perennially loss-making Alitalia could be suspended from the payment system, if its parlous financial condition deteriorated further, adds urgency to the deliberations of the airline’s board and the government, which holds a 49 per cent stake in Alitalia.

Romano Prodi, prime minister, was due last Wednesday to meet key aides to try to decide whether to pursue takeover talks with Air France-KLM or Italy’s Air One. Both submitted their non-binding offers and business plans last Thursday. A government auction collapsed last July with no offers.

Alitalia’s board is scheduled to meet on Thursday to receive the government’s decision. Maurizio Prato, chairman, has spoken openly in favour of Air France-KLM. Bankers and officials, who asked not to be named, said he would be placed in a difficult position if the government responded to pressure from trade unions, politicians and employers by adopting the “national solution” and choosing Air One.

The government, which has the slimmest of majorities in the Senate, is increasingly perceived as weak in its decision-making.

A three-day strike and blockade of highways by truck drivers up and down Italy has strangled cities, cutting off supplies of petrol and fresh food. Factories, including carmaker Fiat, have shut down while manufacturers have warned that produce worth over 200m euros is rotting daily. The government on Tuesday night warned drivers to desist or face legal action, but on Wednesday backed down and restarted negotiations while the strike continued.