Alitalia sold to investor group

ROME, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Flight operations of Italy's bankrupt national carrier Alitalia have changed hands with the completion of the airline's sale to private investors.

Compagnia Aerea Italiana (CAI) Chairman Roberto Colaninno said the investors will create a new corporate entity that will still be called Alitalia, but which will no longer be under government control, ANSA reported Saturday.

''Today an official act was signed transferring the carrier's assets to CAI and although we can only formally use the name Alitalia starting Jan. 12, I will start using it as of today because I prefer it to CAI,'' Colaninno said.

The Italian news service reported that before the new airline officially takes off CAI will merge its Alitalia assets with those of Italy's largest private airline, Air One, controlled by CAI partner Carlo Toto.

''What we want is a successful company which puts its client at the center of attention,'' he added.