Avianca (Bogotá) owner, Germán Efromovich, has reportedly applied for a EUR345million loan from Brazil's second largest state bank, Caixa Económica Federal, which the Brazilian press speculate could be used to acquire a stake in TAP Portugal (Lisbon). While Mr Efromovich confirmed the funding application to the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper, he refused to comment on the deal which, if approved, would be used to cover the Portuguese carrier's estimated EUR1billion debt and which Lisbon wants any potential buyer to assume. The report further claims that, with or without the loan, Mr Efromovich will push ahead with the bid and has already met with Portuguese government officials. However, to avoid being forced to take any deal offered to it, Lisbon is understood to want more than one bidder. JetBlue Airways (B6, New York JFK) founder and current Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras (AD, São Paulo Viracopos) CEO, David Neeleman, has also been rumoured to be interested in acquiring a stake in TAP though has vehemently denied all such reports.