Got tickets on troubled Alitalia? Some tips

Alitalia's slide into oblivion is picking up speed, and if you have tickets you need to stay alert and start considering your options. The Italian carrier offers one daily direct flight to Rome from Logan, according to a schedule on its website.

Alitalia's financial situation has been shaky for years, but in recent months has grown more dire due to surging fuel prices and the malaise in the industry. A series of plans have been launched to rescue the carrier, which filed for bankruptcy protection in August. They all ran afoul either of governmental or labor opposition.

Yesterday the most recent plan fell through when a group of Italian investors dropped its bid to buy profitable parts of Alitalia after unions fought it over the job losses and salary cuts the plan envisioned. After this last thwarted effort, the airline could face potential liquidation in the next couple weeks, according to Reuters and The Wall Street Journal.

The airline's special administrator was scheduled to meet with government regulators Monday to discuss whether Alitalia could keep its operating license.

John DiRienzo, Alitalia's manager for marketing and analysis, declined to comment on the meeting but said that operations were continuing normally.

Alitalia has been near the brink before and it's hard to tell whether the end really is nigh. But if you are concerned Scott McCartney, the Journal's Middle Seat columnist, has these suggestions:

If you’re traveling to or within Italy, you’d be wise to book away from Alitalia, or at least buy a ticket on an Alitalia flight through one of its SkyTeam partners such as Air France, Continental, Delta, KLM or Northwest. If you buy the ticket through Delta, for example, and have a Delta flight number, then Delta will be responsible for rebooking you should Alitalia shut down.

Another option: Air One, Italia’s second-biggest airline. It is probably a better choice for regional flights right now. One possible rescue plan involved merging Alitalia into Air One, which is currently the stronger of the two carriers. It’s also a partner with Star Alliance airlines like United and Lufthansa.