They just deny about the rumor

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/...n-Airlines.php

JAL denies report it's seeking public funds

The Associated PressPublished: February 5, 2009

TOKYO: Japan Airlines Corp., Asia's biggest carrier by sales, denied a report Thursday that is considering seeking public funds as it grapples with a plunge in demand due to the deepening global downturn.

The Japanese airline, also known as JAL, may request loans worth tens of billions of yen (hundreds of millions of dollars) under a government program to help companies hit hard by the financial crisis, the Asahi, a major newspaper, said citing no sources.

With global travel demand nose-diving, JAL aims to use public money to bolster its capital, the paper said.

But JAL spokesman Taro Nanba denied the report. "There is no such a thing as reported in the Asahi," he said.

The airline will release its latest earnings report on Friday. The Asahi said the company is expected to cut its full-year net profit forecast from 13 billion yen ($145 million).

JAL's revenue comes equally from domestic and international operations. JAL said the number of passengers for its international flights in November dropped 18 percent year-on-year to around 900,000. The number of passengers for domestic flights slipped about 1 percent to 3.6 million in the month.

The Japanese carrier has been struggling to turn itself around through job cuts, more fuel-efficient aircraft and a focus on business travelers.