ROME (Reuters) - Alitalia Chief Executive Gabriele Del Torchio denied a newspaper report on Friday that Etihad Airways had set a deadline of July 28 to agree its planned merger with the troubled Italian carrier.
"That's not what I understand," he told reporters before a shareholder meeting.
In an unsourced report, the Corriere della Sera daily reported that Etihad Airways CEO James Hogan had given Alitalia until Monday to agree to the tie-up or else the Gulf carrier's proposal would no longer stand.
Separately a shareholder, who declined to be quoted by name, said Friday's meeting would only approve a planned capital increase of up to 250 million euros (198 million pounds) and sign off on last year's accounts. Investors will not sign off on an accord with Etihad, he added.
(Reporting by Alberto Sisto; writing by James Mackenzie; editing by Agnieszka Flak)