American Airlines may lead other members of the Oneworld alliance in investing in Japan Airlines Corp. to help an ally predicting its fourth loss in five years, two people familiar with the plan said.
American Airlines, the world's second-largest carrier, has hired an investment bank to advise on an undecided financial investment in JAL, its partner in the Oneworld marketing alliance, the people said, asking not to be identified because the discussions aren't public. Executives from American Airlines, Qantas Airways Ltd. and British Airways PLC met with JAL executives two days ago, the people said.
JAL, which has received three government bailouts since 2001, the most recent in June, has also been in talks on possible stake sales to Delta Air Lines Inc. and Air France-KLM, members of the Skyteam Alliance, people familiar with those negotiations have said.
JAL plans to cut 6,800 jobs by the end of 2011 and aims to eliminate the most routes in its history, President Haruka Nishimatsu said earlier this week.
JAL spokesman Hisanori Iizuka and Qantas spokesman Simon Rushton declined to comment. Charley Wilson, a Fort Worth-based spokesman for American Air, also declined to comment.
It was earlier reported that Qantas and British Airways may participate in an investment led by American Airlines.