By Maki Shiraki and Tim Kelly
TOKYO (Reuters) - ANA Holdings Inc (T:9202) will get the backing of Airbus Group (PA:AIR) in a crucial vote by creditors on Wednesday to pick a sponsor for bankrupt Japanese discount carrier Skymark Airlines Inc [SKALF.PK], three sources with knowledge of the matter said.
That increases the likelihood that ANA will win the sponsorship role as creditors choose between a plan led by Japan's biggest carrier and a rival proposal for Delta Air Lines (N:DAL) to help turnaround the failed carrier.
Creditors will vote in two rounds - the first where each vote is weighted to the amount each creditor is owed, while the second will give each of the 197 creditors an equal vote. A plan must gain a majority vote in both rounds for a sponsor to be approved.
A decision is expected at 2.30 p.m. Tokyo time (0530 GMT). The sources declined to be identified ahead of the vote. A spokesman for Airbus declined to comment.
At stake is access to 36 landing and take off slots at Tokyo's crowded Haneda airport which are operated by Skymark and which would help ANA cement its growing domestic dominance over local rival Japan Airlines (T:9201).
For Delta, a win would give it a base at Asia's second-busiest hub and a bigger presence in Japan were it does not have an alliance partner.
Airbus is Skymark's second biggest creditor with 28.9 percent of its debt. The Delta plan has been put forward by leasing firm Intrepid Aviation which has 38.1 percent of its debt.
An official in Tokyo for Skymark's No. 3 creditor, jet engine maker Rolls-Royce Holdings (L:RR) which has 15.7 percent of its debt, declined to comment.
ANA, its affiliates and partners together have about half of the 465 domestic slots at Haneda. JAL controls 184.5 of the daily landing rights.
