Alitalia may have to reduce costs

Alitalia SpA, whose chief executive officer was replaced last month amid union opposition to job cuts, may report a fifth straight quarterly loss tomorrow, underscoring the need for Italy’s biggest airline to reduce operating costs.

Alitalia, based in Rome, probably will say its fourth-quarter loss before interest and tax widened to €120m from €81.5m a year earlier, based on the median estimate of four analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News.

The analysts said they didn’t calculate the net loss because of the way Alitalia has in the past reported the number.