Japan Airlines Co. is considering raising up to ¥300 billion ($2.9 billion) in capital while expecting to post an operating loss of around ¥85 billion for the three months through September, hit by a sharp fall in the number of international passengers due to the coronavirus pandemic, sources close to the matter said Monday.

JAL could take out subordinated loans, which would allow the airline to count part of the debt as capital, as the impact of the novel coronavirus continues to gut demand for air travel, according to the sources.

Seeing the need to strengthen its financial standing by next spring, JAL is hoping to begin full-blown negotiations on its capital-raising plan with a group of banks by the year-end, the sources said.