*Source: DTN News / THE AUSTRALIAN By Steve Creedy and Peter Alford
(NSI News Source Info) SYDNEY, Australia - September 19, 2009: QANTAS says speculation it has 
joined forces with American Airlines and British Airways to bid for Japan Air Lines is untrue. The rumours spread rapidly yesterday from Tokyo but were dismissed last night by Qantas head of government and corporate affairs David Epstein.
"Obviously because we're close partners with both JAL and American Airlines and we're fellow members of the One World group," Mr Epstein said.
"We have keen interest in both the future of JAL and any discussions American Airlines may be having with JAL.
"But Qantas is not involved in any of the formal negotiations taking place between any parties nor are we engaged in any M&A (merger and acquisition) or consolidations discussions with any other airline."
American moved last weekend to head off a proposal by its US rival Delta, the world's largest passenger carrier, to inject up to Y=50 billion ($629 million) of equity into JAL on condition it switched to the SkyTeam alliance.
The Japanese flag-carrier, which secured a Y=100m government-guaranteed credit line in June, needs an estimated Y=250m more by March 31 to meet debt obligations, restructure its fleet and cover the costs of a drastic downsizing. American has also offered an equity injection, but it was unclear yesterday whether Qantas and BA were also offering funds.
"We are considering various options but we can't specify anything further," a JAL spokeswoman told The Weekend Australian yesterday.
With the US and Japan this week committing to negotiating an "open skies" agreement, JAL's ultimate choice of alliance and code-sharing partners will have a major bearing on winners and losers from the deregulation of Asia's most lucrative air passenger market.
JAL, which joined One World in 2007, code-shares with American on trans-Pacific services and on Japan-Australia routes with Qantas and Jetstar.
Although the largest foreign passenger carrier operating out of Japan, Delta and SkyTeam, has no Japanese code-sharer, a serious disadvantage in a cut-throat environment where the most cost-efficient way to move passengers in distant markets is by a domestic partner.
joined forces with American Airlines and British Airways to bid for Japan Air Lines is untrue. The rumours spread rapidly yesterday from Tokyo but were dismissed last night by Qantas head of government and corporate affairs David Epstein.
"Obviously because we're close partners with both JAL and American Airlines and we're fellow members of the One World group," Mr Epstein said.
"We have keen interest in both the future of JAL and any discussions American Airlines may be having with JAL.
"But Qantas is not involved in any of the formal negotiations taking place between any parties nor are we engaged in any M&A (merger and acquisition) or consolidations discussions with any other airline."
American moved last weekend to head off a proposal by its US rival Delta, the world's largest passenger carrier, to inject up to Y=50 billion ($629 million) of equity into JAL on condition it switched to the SkyTeam alliance.
The Japanese flag-carrier, which secured a Y=100m government-guaranteed credit line in June, needs an estimated Y=250m more by March 31 to meet debt obligations, restructure its fleet and cover the costs of a drastic downsizing. American has also offered an equity injection, but it was unclear yesterday whether Qantas and BA were also offering funds.
"We are considering various options but we can't specify anything further," a JAL spokeswoman told The Weekend Australian yesterday.
With the US and Japan this week committing to negotiating an "open skies" agreement, JAL's ultimate choice of alliance and code-sharing partners will have a major bearing on winners and losers from the deregulation of Asia's most lucrative air passenger market.
JAL, which joined One World in 2007, code-shares with American on trans-Pacific services and on Japan-Australia routes with Qantas and Jetstar.
Although the largest foreign passenger carrier operating out of Japan, Delta and SkyTeam, has no Japanese code-sharer, a serious disadvantage in a cut-throat environment where the most cost-efficient way to move passengers in distant markets is by a domestic partner. 
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