Air France says can bring Alitalia back to profit

ROME, Dec 10 (Reuters) - An offer by Air France-KLM (AIRF.PA) for Alitalia would bring the Italian airline back to profitability and reinforce its role as a national carrier, Air France-KLM's chairman said on Monday.

In a statement released in Rome, Jean-Cyril Spinetta, who is also the company's CEO, said he was confident that the merger with Alitalia "will be a success". Air France-KLM submitted its bid for Alitalia last week, alongside smaller Italian airline Air One and a little-known consortium led by an Italian lawyer.

(Reporting by Silvia Aloisi)