Delta, Northwest Near Announcement (create the world's biggest airline)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835&u_sid=10309069

Sunday April 13, 5:57 PM EDT

ATLANTA (AP) — Delta and Northwest could announce a combination as early as Tuesday that would create the world's biggest airline, but pilot contract issues still loomed and there was no guarantee the deal would move ahead, three people familiar with the talks said Sunday.

The people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said officials were mobilizing for an announcement provided the boards of the two companies give final approval to a deal.

The boards of both companies have been having ongoing merger-related conversations. They could meet Monday to discuss moving ahead with a deal, a person familiar with the talks said.

It was increasingly likely the two airlines would proceed without a prearranged seniority integration agreement between their pilots unions, so the main issue that remained was whether Delta pilots were willing to make changes to their contract to give Delta more flexibility after a combination, one of the people said.

Delta may be willing to give incentives to Delta pilots to make changes to their contract, another person familiar with the talks said.

The changes being sought are related to the scope section in the Delta pilot contract, which in part spells out what planes pilots fly and what routes they fly, people familiar with the talks said.

FULL story at link.

[Bonobo]

1. Great! I never liked that whole "competition thing" anyway! Let's play Monopoly!

I'm sure it will work out well for us consumers in the end.

:sarcasm:

[thunder rising]

2. Just another fucking of the working American. There is no way "economy of scale" is actually going

to reduce costs to the consumer. Once you separate the costs of the planes, the fuel, the costs associated with gate leases etc ... the only cost reduction can come from screwing the working folks. This merger will not help anybody but the executive class.