The chairman of Air France-KLM said Thursday there's no plan for it to increase its stake in Italian state-controlled airline Alitalia SpA, saying the airline and the Italian authorities don't seem interested in bringing in "outside" operators, at least for now.

Alitalia is seeking to attract private investors for a EUR1.2 billion capital increase later this year, but it needs to get a green light from the European Commission, which must rule that its latest rescue plan doesn't contain illegal government aid. An E.U. ruling is expected by May.

"To participate in something, you have to be asked," Air France-KLM chairman Jean-Cyril Spinetta said. "For now, the subject isn't at all on the table."

Air France and Alitalia have a 2% cross-shareholding. According to a recent Italian press report that cited Italian government sources, the French airline is considering boosting its stake to 20% by the end of October.

But a precondition for this is that the Italian state should reduce its stake below 50%, and Alitalia has to demonstrate that it is economically on the mend, Spinetta said. The company's rescue plan includes splitting its core flight business from ground service operations.

"It's legally impossible" for Alitalia to join Air France-KLM with its present capital structure, Spinetta said.(DowJones)