Rome (dpa) - The Italian government is looking for "alternatives" for the near-bankrupt Alitalia airline after failed attempts to find private buyers for it, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Tuesday.

"It's clear that right now we do not have in hand a market solution [for Alitalia]," Conte said on the sidelines of a road traffic conference in Rome.

"In fact, this is the government's preferred solution," but "of course we will consider, and we are considering right now, also some alternatives," he added.

Conte did not elaborate on the "alternatives," dodging questions on whether they would include the nationalization of the stricken former flag carrier.

The government has set numerous deadlines for interested buyers to make an offer for Alitalia, but they all passed with no results. The last one expired on November 21.

Alitalia has been under government-controlled administration since May 2017, and has survived thanks to state loans totalling 900 million euros (1 billion dollars).

Conte's administration has approved a further 400-million-euro loan for the airline, which would ensure its survival until some time next year.

Until last week, state-controlled railway company Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) led attempts to take over Alitalia as part of a consortium.

The consortium collapsed after the withdrawal of Atlantia, an airports and motorways group controlled by the Benetton family. It also included the Italian Economy Ministry and US airline Delta.

German carrier Lufthansa has also been in talks over Alitalia, but it has said numerous times it would consider buying it only after deep restructuring and job cuts.

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