The British budget airline Virgin Blue says it will consider any offers put before it by Australia's struggling second airline, Ansett.
The cut-price carrier's comment followed reports that Melbourne businessmen Mr Solomon Lew and Mr Lindsay Fox, who plan to take over Ansett, met with Virgin Blue owner Mr Richard Branson in London yesterday.
Ansett collapsed in September under the weight of unsustainable debt and although it has since returned to the skies with a pared-back timetable, it is still fighting for survival.
The carrier had more than 10,000 workers before it failed but is now operating with about 4,000.
Ansett's administrators, from the accounting firm Andersens, have confirmed reports that the carrier is losing about Aus$6 million (€3.4 million) per week as it struggles to win back passengers from Qantas and Virgin Blue.
Mr Lew and Mr Fox met Mr Branson to discuss a potential future business plan, ABC radio reported.
The businessmen and Virgin refused to disclose details of the discussions.
Virgin spokesman David Huttner told The Australiannewspaper it was Virgin Blue's policy to consider "any proposition" made to it.
But he added, "we have yet to identify any benefit to Virgin Blue from the discussions".
Mr Fox, who owns a national transport company, and Mr Lew, who once ran Australia's largest retail company, have offered Aus$1.8 billion (€1.03 billion) for Ansett. The offer has been approved by shareholders and creditors.