(Reuters) -Money-losing private jet charter company Wheels Up Experience said on Tuesday it would give up 95% of its common stock in return for a $500 million lifeline from Delta Air Lines and two investment firms.
The company said on Monday it was considering its options, including filing for bankruptcy protection. It also reported a second-quarter net loss that widened from a year ago.
Wheels Up, which charters planes by the hour, has taken a slew of restructuring measures this year, including job cuts and management changes, as demand for private jets from wealthy travelers slowed after the pandemic.
As part of a non-binding agreement, the funding would comprise a $400 million term loan from partners Delta and investment firms Certares Management and Knighthead Capital Management.
The U.S. carrier would provide a $100 million liquidity facility.
“The partnership will create new opportunities for Wheels Up to drive strategic, operational and financial improvements for its customers,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said.
Shares of Wheels Up jumped 9.1% at $1.54 in afternoon trading.
(Reporting By Allison Lampert in Montreal, additional reporting by Abhijith Ganapavaram and Shivansh Tiwary in Bengaluru; Editing by Conor Humphries and Arun Koyyur)
