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Qatar Airways and JAL deny Malaysia Airlines interest

Two out of three airlines reportedly shortlisted by Khazanah Nasional Bhd (KNB), the sovereign wealth fund of the Malaysian Government, to become the strategic partner of Malaysia Airlines (MH, Kuala Lumpur Int'l) have denied that they were eyeing a stake in the loss-making flag carrier.

Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad Int'l) and JAL - Japan Airlines (JL, Tokyo Haneda) have both dismissed recent reports linking them to a stake acquisition as part of efforts to turn around Malaysia Airlines.

Talking to the New Straits Times (NST), a spokesperson for the Qatari state-owned airline said of the intention to acquire a stake: "We have no intention to do so, as our group Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker told the NST in Langkawi recently.” The spokesperson added that the recent reports that Qatar Airways was one of the bidders were “erroneous”.

Japan Airlines also dismissed its interest in the process, suggesting recently to Bloomberg that it was not planning to take a stake in Malaysia Airlines. The news agency quoted a Japan Airlines spokesperson saying that instead, it was waiting for approval to begin a commercial tie-up with the carrier. In May the two Asian airlines applied to the Malaysian and Japanese aviation regulators for an exemption to form a metal neutral joint business partnership.

Malaysia Airlines also recently deepened its ties with Singapore Airlines, as the two carriers signed a "wide-ranging partnership agreement" at the end of October.

These clarifications from Qatar Airways and Japan Airlines are a result of an unconfirmed report in a business daily which recently reported that the KNB had shortlisted these airlines among the four entities as being tentatively interested in Malaysia Airlines, with a third airline being China Southern Airlines (CZ, Guangzhou). However, the KNB Managing Director Datuk Shahril Ridza Ridzuan, would only confirm that the four shortlisted candidates were global and regional airline operators and investors.

“I am afraid we cannot disclose details due to the non-disclosure agreements entered in order for them to participate,” Shahril added.

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/n...lines-interest