| NEWS ARCHIVES |
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| JAL asks for government bailout |
| 24 Sep 2009 |
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Asia's largest carrer, Japan Airlines, has asked for a government bailout, as it battles for survival by cancelling flights and laying off staff.
CEO Haruka Nishimatsu told reporters after meeting Japan's new transport minister that the indebted carrier needed government help.
After meeting Mr Nishimatsu, Transport Minister Seiji Maehara met the carrier's lenders, including the state-owned Development Bank of Japan.
No details of those talks were immediately available.
Ahead of the bailout plea, JAL's shares tumbled 18 percent to a record low.
JAL is swamped by 15.4 billion US dollars of debt due to global slump in aviation.
The carrier has been wooed by rival airlines seeking to inject cash to gain access JAL's valuable route network and high-paying Japanese passengers.
But the airlines have not proposed investing the full 2.75 billion US dollars that JAL reportedly needs to the end of its financial year next March. |