Delta Air Lines/Northwest Airlines Merger Closer
Get ready. The title of the world’s largest airline should change before too long. Right now, that moniker belongs to American Airlines. Soon, Delta Air Lines should inherit the mantle as it marches on to almost certain merger with Northwest Airlines.
That prospect is closer now that the Federal Aviation Administration (Web site: www.faa.gov) has accepted a plan by the carriers for interim operations and a Single Operating Certificate.
“This is a significant milestone in our efforts to bring together our two airlines,” says John Laughter, Delta’s Senior Vice President for Maintenance Operations. Laughter is also co-chair of an integration team charged with achieving a Single Operating Certificate.
Airline mergers can be tricky things, beset with downdrafts and customer dislocations. Rarely do they go smoothly. Ken Hylander, Northwest’s Senior Vice President of Safety & Engineering asserts: “Our ultimate goal is to implement a seamless transition for our customers, and this is a big step towards that end.”
Together, Delta Air Lines/Northwest Airlines say they’ll offer access to more than 390 worldwide destinations arrayed across some 67 countries. The combined mainline fleet (assuming no more aircraft are grounded because of fuel costs) should be just under 800.
The timetable for the merged megacarrier? Stockholders of both airlines are supposed to meet separately on September 25. Regulatory approvals are expected by year’s end.
© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler