While ministers, industrialists and disunited union leaders wrangle over the future of Alitalia, Italy’s lossmaking flag carrier has nonetheless remained aloft and, according to all parties involved, still has a chance of surviving in some form under new ownership.

Industry insiders say the government has ensured that Eni, the partly state-owned energy group, has kept the pumps open. There were official declarations at the weekend that Alitalia was having problems getting fuel, after dire warnings of deadlines and bankruptcy a week ago.