Delta Air Lines said last week it listened to a presentation by US Airways on that company’s $8.5 billion takeover offer for Delta, but repeated earlier statements that it intends to emerge from bankruptcy as a stand-alone carrier.

Italy plans to put half of its controlling stake in Alitalia up for sale early next year, opening the way for new owners to try to rescue the loss-making airline, officials said.

LIAT and Caribbean Star, the two Caribbean-based airlines involved in negotiations to join forces and create a single carrier, report that joint discussions, which began in earnest about a month ago, are moving forward, according to each carrier’s CEO.

Air France KLM reported quarterly operating earnings up 7.8 percent to €568 million and increased its merger synergy targets as it remained confident on full-year earnings.

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said in a newspaper interview he harbors many doubts about a possible tie-up between Air France KLM and Italian carrier Alitalia.

Delta Air Lines is trying to rally support from creditors to help fend off a takeover bid by US Airways, according to a newspaper report on Friday. Delta Chief Executive Gerald Grinstein and other executives have held a series of conference calls with creditors to sift through terms of US Airways’ offer, pressing creditors to back Delta’s restructuring plan, the Wall Street Journal reported on its web site.