Delta Hires Consultant in Push for Japan Air

ATLANTA (TheStreet) -- Delta Air Lines(DAL Quote) has hired a consultant to lobby Japanese politicians, analysts and opinion leaders as it seeks a tie-up with Japan Airlines, Bloomberg reports, citing two people familiar with the situation.

The world's largest carrier hired Fleishman Hillard this month to promote the airline to the Japanese public, Bloomberg reports.

Japan Air, also known as JAL, is undergoing a restructuring and has resumed talks with Delta and AMR's(AMR Quote) American Airlines about a potential investment and a global partnership.

The U.S. carriers plan to send top executives to Tokyo before the end of the month, people familiar with the talks said last week, Bloomberg reports.

Delta is looking to tap Fleishman's ties with Japan's newly elected majority Democratic Party of Japan. Fleishman, a unit of Omnicom(OMC Quote), advised the party during an election campaign in 2004, Bloomberg notes.

JAL and American Air are currently members of the Oneworld airlines' alliance. Delta is a member of the competing SkyTeam alliance.

Last week, American CEO Gerard Arpey strongly urged JAL to continue its partnership with the carrier, saying JAL could "end up as a junior partner and a feeder carrier" if it goes elsewhere.

-- Reported by Joseph Woelfel in New York .

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