Take away that one day, and Mr Spinetta's airline is having a bumper year.

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"The market views Spinetta's exit positively as it believes an offer is now closer, " said one Milan-based trader.

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Air France's chief executive, Jean-CyrilSpinettaJean-Cyril Spinetta, has also suggested buying bigger planes to save costs by cramming more passengers on-board.

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Has Mr Spinetta, a wisecracking Corsican who became Air France's boss three years ago, discovered a managerial secret others have missed?

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Air France's chief executive, Jean-Cyril Spinetta , has also suggested buying bigger planes to save costs by cramming more passengers on-board.

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More recently, in 2009, the top Piedmontese producer La Spinetta began making Vermentino in Tuscany, too, under the name Casanova della Spinetta.

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"If this expanded version was launched, Air France-KLM could order a significant amount, " Spinetta was quoted as saying by the French business daily La Tribune.

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It was signed by some of France's most high-profile chief executives, including Christophe de Margerie of oil firm Total, Frederic Oudea of bank Societe Generale, and Air France's Jean-Cyril Spinetta.

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We speak to airline CEOs Jean-Cyril Spinetta of Air France-KLM, British Airways' Willie Walsh BA, Ola Strand of SAS Norway, and Richard Branson, chairman of Virgin Group about the measures they're taking to weather this economic storm.

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"The projected growth in air traffic we see, together with the totally new standard in terms of passengers comfort and economics that the A3XX will introduce in the very large capacity market will be extremely environmentally friendly, has convinced us, " Air France president Jean-Cyril Spinetta said.

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