ROME , Italy ( CNN ) -- The board of ailing Italian airline Alitalia has accepted an offer from Air France-KLM to buy 25 percent of the company and become its international partner , Alitalia announced Monday evening . Alitalia began flying in 1947 and was a proud symbol of Italy 's economic prowess after WWII . Air France-KLM , which will pay €323 million ( $ 431 million ) , will be the biggest shareholder in Alitalia and will have three seats the 19-member board of directors , Alitalia said in a news conference in Rome . Alitalia will keep its name , logo and uniforms . The airline will fly 22 fewer jets , but its 148-unit fleet will consist of younger planes , mostly from Airbus . Passengers will be able to fly to 70 Alitalia destinations : 23 in Italy , 34 elsewhere in Europe and 13 on other continents . It remains to be seen how free the new Alitalia will be from union strikes . Demonstrations are scheduled for Tuesday , but no immediate strikes are planned . The next scheduled strike is expected to take place January 19 for four hours . The union behind that strike represents mainly ground workers and some flight attendants . Alitalia declared bankruptcy in August and the government placed Augusto Fantozzi as administrator . The airline began flying in 1947 and became a proud symbol of Italy 's economic prowess in the post-war period . Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi campaigned last year on a promise to keep Alitalia under Italian ownership . CAI , a consortium of 18 Italian entrepreneurs , won control of Alitalia in the fall , after numerous talks with Fantozzi and Italian government officials and despite protests and strikes that canceled hundreds of flights and increased losses for the company . Alitalia , for which annual net profits have been rare , is expected to record a 2008 operating loss of €1 billion ( $ 1.3 billion ) on revenue of €3.7 billion ( $ 4.9 billion ) , Fantozzi has said . The other contenders for Alitalia 's partnership were Lufthansa and British Airways . Rocco Sabelli , CAI 's managing director , said Air France was chosen because it showed more determination , conviction and willingness . Sabelli said Alitalia fares will not increase .
Under new deal , Alitalia will keep its name , fly 22 fewer jets , have younger planes . Passengers will be able to fly to 70 destinations , with 23 in Italy , 13 outside Europe . Administrator : Expected to record 2008 operating loss of $ 1.3B on revenue of €3.7B . Alitalia ground workers , some flight attendants plan to strike next week .