After much speculation Mexican carrier Interjet has confirmed it is in talks with partners over a potential joint venture and investment.
"Interjet confirms holding talks with potential strategic partners to structure business partnerships, as we already have with international airlines from the USA, Europe, Asia and Latin America, and to explore possible joint ventures, without ruling out any eventual capital investment," it said in a statement.
Interjet chairman Miguel Aleman Velasco told Bloomberg recently Mexico’s third largest carrier was pursuing a possible equity sale to either American Airlines or United Airlines.
"We’re going to associate ourselves with a foreign airline. We’re talking with United and American," he said.
American did not respond directly to Velasco’s comments but Matt Miller, a spokesman for American said: "Interjet is a valued partner and we continue to look for ways to enhance and expand our commercial relationship."
American has an existing codeshare agreement with Interjet and may want to keep pace with rival Delta Air Lines which hopes to increase its stake in Mexico’s biggest carrier Aeromexico.
The Mexico market has taken on extra importance for US carriers now that the respective governments agreed a new air service treaty giving airlines unlimited routes and frequencies between the two countries.
