since the risk of financial instability of Alitalia has now significantly decreased. On Monday September 29 the last union of Alitalia agreed to the buyout plan of CAI. The CEO of CAI said that Alitalia would start seeking for an international partner. CAI, Compagnia Aerea Italiana presented a binding offer of 1.1 billion euro to Alitalia's bankruptcy administrator on Friday October 30, 2008 to acquire the airline, pressing ahead despite refusal by some pilots and flight attendants' unions to sign on to the rescue plan. The binding offer by CAI calls for cutting aircraft, routes, workers and infusion of nearly 1.1 billion euros, including the price for the take over, (nearly $1.3 billion). The negotiations between CAI and the unions were tense. A breakthrough came after last-minute talks at the premier's office. The offer has these conditions: obtaining a provision from the competent Antitrust Authority confirming the compatibility of the operation, notified in compliance with current legislation, stating that there are no commitments or measures that differ from those proposed by the Purchaser, or which turn out to be incompatible with the Business Plan put forward by the Purchaser, or which involve a substantial change in the agreed contract terms; obtaining a provision from the European Commission stating that any State aid, according to article 87 and the EEC Treaty, made for the benefit of the AZ Group before the contract was stipulated, does not involve any obligation of repayment by the Purchaser; that no element of State aid, according to article 87 and the EEC Treaty, is involved in the forecasts and/or execution of the contract; that, following the appointment of a Monitoring Trustee by the European Commission, no contestations, objections or reserves are raised regarding the operation of the contract or its specific means or conditions, such as to cause significant prejudice for the Purchaser. CAI stated that the offer, with its "ambitious but realistic" plan for turning Alitalia around, stands, assuming the European Commission doesn't lay down obstacles on antitrust grounds. CAI also said that it was searching for a partnership with a major airline group, possibly as a partner. Air France-KLM and Lufthansa have been courted. On the 12th of November 2008 the EU decided that the €300 million bridging loan was illegal and had to be paid back to the Italian government by Alitalia, not by CAI. The Italian government and the bankruptcy administrator have