Reports from Japan are that the leadership of Japan Airlines has decided to stick with their One World Alliance instead of jumping ship and joining SkyTeam.  This is an enormous coup for American Airlines, a founding airline partner of One World.  However, it is a disappointment for SkyTeam member and world’s largest airline Delta Airlines.

Both Delta Airlines and American Airlines had been courting Japan Airlines over the last few months hoping to negotiate a key Japan air partnership.  They both offered substantial financial incentives to Japan Airlines, which just last month filed for bankruptcy.

An official announcement is expected from JAL this week.  The OneWorld incentive offer totalled more than $1.4 billion US and will allow JAL to stay its current course, avoiding the challenges of changing alliances and all of the costs associated with that.