No plans for Alitalia bid: Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines said on Friday it has not submitted a bid for Italian airline Alitalia and has no intention of making one, following a report in the Italian media.

Singapore Airlines said on Friday it has not submitted a bid for Italian airline Alitalia and has no intention of making one, following a report in the Italian media.

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A report on Thursday from Italy's Radiocor news agency said two investment funds -- Quantum and Evergreen -- had teamed up with Singapore Airlines to submit an offer.

"For the information of shareholders, Singapore Airlines advises that it has not submitted a bid for Alitalia, and has no intention of doing so," an SIA statement said.

It added that SIA is not a party to any consortium seeking to buy the Italian carrier, "nor will the company be part of one."

Alitalia said Thursday it would postpone until next Tuesday its decision on which buyer it prefers to take over the loss-making company.

The choice of the partner was initially expected Thursday but reports said the Italian government was split on whether to sell Alitalia to Air France-KLM or to AP Holding, which operates Italy's second biggest airline, Air One.

The government owns 49.9 percent of Alitalia and is seeking to sell a controlling stake to a partner that can relaunch the ailing airline.

SIA is one of the world's most profitable airlines.