American Offers $1.8B to Japan Airlines

(MoneyWatch)  In hopes of keeping Japan Airlines from Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, its oneworld partners and private equity firm TPG have offered to invest $1.8 billion in the Japanese carrier to keep its partnership. JAL has been struggling for years, losing billions and dealing with safety problems. However, the routes and Asian presence still make it an attractive acquisition for airlines, especially Delta which inherited Northwest Airlines' Tokyo hub. American also sweetened the deal by adding the possibility of antitrust immunity, something Delta is also hinting they can provide.

Haruka Nishimatsu, JAL President, said he would make a decision on the offers by the end of the year.

While some may question the wisdom behind shelling out a billion dollars for a carrier that's asking for a government bailout to avoid bankruptcy, I think both airlines have a lot to gain from the deal, which is why both are offering prices in the $1.5 to $1.8 billion range.

According to a recent BNET report, while Asian routes are suffering along with everyone else, they appear to be recovering quicker than European and North American markets. So right now the recession is killing business travel and tourism, but once the economy improves the profits for routes to Japan and Asia could rise faster and higher.