Italy’s centre-left government on Thursday contacted Jean-Cyril Spinetta, head of Air France-KLM, in a desperate effort to revive takeover talks with Alitalia’s trade unions and avert looming bankruptcy of the national flag carrier.

Mr Spinetta flew out of Rome on Wednesday night after declaring there was no more room for negotiations with Alitalia’s nine unions, who had refused to accept his restructuring plan involving about 2,100 job losses.