Creditors of debt-ridden Japan Airlines would incur losses of some 700 billion yen (US$7.6 billion) if the struggling carrier enters a bankruptcy process, a report said on Wednesday.

The state-backed body overseeing JAL’s restructuring, Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corp (ETIC), had submitted the estimate to JAL’s major creditors, Jiji Press reported, without revealing its sources.

ETIC also told the creditors it expected a bankruptcy filing would be made on January 22, although some officials remained unconvinced by the idea, Jiji reported.

JAL, battered by the global recession and the swine flu pandemic, is scrambling to slash costs and is seeking its fourth government bailout since 2001 in the face of mounting losses.

Local media had already reported that ETIC was considering the possibility of the carrier filing for protection from creditors under court-led bankruptcy proceedings. Such reports dragged down shares in Asia’s biggest carrier to a record low on Wednesday.
Japan’s government has ruled out allowing JAL to collapse, but has left the door open to possible bankruptcy proceedings to allow the group to restructure more easily.

Cabinet ministers were meeting late on Thursday to discuss JAL’s problems.