American Air wants slowdown in JFK airport plan = = = = Wednesday April 9, 4:30 PM EDT = NEW YORK, April 9 (Reuters) - Teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, Ameri= can Airlines, the world's largest air carrier, is discussing the possibil= ity of slowing construction of a new $1.3 billion terminal at John F. Ken= nedy International Airport, a spokesman for the airline said on Wednesday= =2E The threat of bankruptcy still looms heavy for American, a unit of AMR Co= rp. (AMR), currently in talks with union leaders who are asking to shorte= n the duration of wage concession deals struck last week. The airline is in discussions with the Port Authority of New York and New= Jersey, the airport operators, to defer construction on the eastern phas= e of the project as part of an effort to conserve cash, said Al Becker, a= spokesman for the airline. "This is only one of many steps American is taking as part of a wide-rang= ing program to reduce its overall costs by about $4 billion a year," he s= aid. American will still continue work on the central phase of the project, Be= cker said, including a new Concourse C, expected to be completed by the f= irst quarter of 2005. A spokesman for the Port Authority was not immediately available for comm= ent. = =A92003 Reuters Limited. = Roger EWROPS