SAO PAULO, Oct 28 Reuters Azul has reached a deal with its existing group of bondholders to obtain additional financing, the Brazilian airline said on Monday, as part of restructuring it expects to ease market concerns about its debt load.

Azul dominates Brazil39;s airline industry along with LATAM and Gol, and has managed to avoid the fate of a number of Latin American carriers who filed for bankruptcy after the COVID19 pandemic, including its two main rivals.

The fresh capital was a condition of Azul39;s recent deal with lessors to scrap nearly 550 million in obligations in exchange for an equity stake of around 20 of the firm, which analysts see as fundamental to strengthen the airline39;s cash position.

Under the deal with bondholders, the carrier said in a securities filing, it will receive 150 million this week and another 250 million by yearend in fresh debt, totaling the 400 million it had been targeting.

The agreement, Azul added, may include another 100 million in financing and a potential debtforequity swap of as much as 800 million if the company manages to further improve its cash flow by reducing costs by around 100 million per year.

It will allow for a quick deleveraging of Azul, Chief Executive John Rodgerson said in an interview. They say, 39;we are creditors but want to be equity holders if we have this cost reduction39;. It is an option, but I39;m confident we39;ll take it.

He noted that among the ways for Azul to reach the proposed cost…