FACTBOX-Alitalia keeps flying but liquidation looms

Sept 19 (Reuters) - Alitalia AZPIa.MI is still flying but it faces liquidation in a matter of days after a plan to rescue the carrier collapsed on Thursday due to union opposition.

The economy ministry has ruled out renationalising it, according to a source.

And the government has said the only hope for its survival was to have the CAI -- the group of investors involved in the rescue plan -- put its offer back on the negotiating table and get all the unions to accept it.

Alitalia's special administrator is seeking other offers for the airline or its assets but has been turned down by Air France (AIRF.PA), Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) and British Airways BAY.L.

Following are possible next developments for Alitalia:

*Alitalia's special administrator Augusto Fantozzi is to meet ENAC, the country's civil aviation authority, on Monday to see whether the airline can keep its operating licence. Alitalia got a six-month provisional licence earlier this month.

ENAC said the airline will no longer be able to operate in a week or 10 days at the most from Monday if a solution is not found.

* Fantozzi could start grounding planes if there is no more money to pay for fuel.

On Sept. 7, he said there were 30 million to 50 million euros left and Alitalia needed 70 million euros ($101.5 million) a month to survive -- putting it perilously close to penniless.

Suppliers started asking for deposits and advance payments as soon as Alitalia sought bankruptcy protection on Aug. 29.

* Fantozzi may start laying off Alitalia staff and begin the process of helping them find new jobs. He has said he would do this if there were no agreement with CAI.

* The government might cast around for last-minute interest among major European airlines. Air France-KLM -- whose own bid for Alitalia was also scuppered by the unions in April -- had said it could take a minority stake if the CAI bid was accepted.

Lufthansa has not commented on a specific bid but has frequently said Italy is an important market.

* The government cannot give Alitalia any more state aid without risking the anger of the European Commission. Already, a 300 million euro loan from the previous centre-left government is being investigated to see if it breaks EU rules.

Fantozzi has said the loan -- which was turned into equity by Berlusconi's administration -- and a bond valued together at 750 million euros -- are unlikely to be repaid.

* If bankruptcy proceedings go ahead, Fantozzi would sell off Alitalia's assets such as fleet, airport slots and ground services units to the highest bidder.

Fantozzi said he had received expressions of interest for the airline's heavy maintenance and cargo units.

Aviation Management Consulting GmBH & Co. and Investimenti e Sviluppo Mediterraneo Spa have separately expressed interest in buying the airline's heavy maintenance unit Atitech.

Alis-Aerolinee Italiane and Miro Radici Finance expressed interest in buying the airline's cargo unit, while ItAli Airlines has expressed interest in leasing unused planes and laid-off staff.

For more stories on Alitalia, double click on [ID:nLJ491342] or [AZPIa.MI-LEN-RTRS] (Editing by Hans Peters)