Northwest and Delta Airlines are merging.

[Kelemvor]

Just got this in my email

As a valued Northwest Airlines customer and WorldPerks® member, I wanted you to be among the first to hear that we have announced a merger with Delta Air Lines. Subject to regulatory review, our two airlines are joining forces to create America?s premier global airline which, upon closing of the merger, will be called Delta Air Lines.

By combining Northwest and Delta, we are building a stronger, more resilient airline that will be a leader in providing customer service and value. Our combined airline will offer unprecedented access to the world, enabling you to fly to more destinations, have more flight choices and more ways than ever to earn and redeem your WorldPerks miles.

You can be assured that your WorldPerks miles and Elite program status will be unaffected by this merger. In addition, you can continue to earn miles through use of partners like WorldPerks Visa&reg. And once the new Delta Air Lines emerges you can look forward to being a part of the world?s largest frequent flyer program with expanded benefits.

The combined Delta Air Lines will serve more U.S. communities and connect to more worldwide destinations than any global airline. Our hubs ? both Delta?s and Northwest?s ? will be retained and enhanced. We will be the only U.S. airline to offer direct service from the United States to all of the world?s major business centers in Asia, Latin America, Europe, Africa and around North America.

Both airlines bring tremendous strengths to this new partnership. Our complementary service networks form an end-to-end system that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. This is a merger by addition, not subtraction, which means all of our hubs ? both Northwest?s and Delta?s ? will be retained. In addition, building on both airlines? proud, decades-long history of serving small communities, we plan to enhance global connections to small towns and cities across the U.S.

All of these positive benefits of our combination mean that we can:

* Offer a true global network where our customers will be able to fly to more destinations, have more schedule options and more opportunities to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles in what will become the world?s best and most comprehensive frequent flyer program.
* Continue to serve our current roster of destinations and to maintain our hubs in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York, Salt Lake City, Amsterdam and Tokyo.
* Improve our customers? travel experience, through new products and services including enhanced self-service tools, better bag-tracking technology, more onboard services, including more meal options, new seats and refurbished cabins.

While we work to secure approval of our merger, which may take up to 6 to 8 months, it will be business-as-usual at both airlines. We will continue to operate as independent airlines and the people of Northwest will remain focused on providing you with the very best in safe, reliable and convenient air travel. At the same time, both airlines will be planning for a seamless integration of our two airlines, one that delivers to you the enhanced benefits that will earn ? and retain ? your preference.

As we work through this process, we will keep you informed at every step along the way. Thank you for your business and we look forward to serving you on your next Northwest flight.

 

[slsmnaz]

Great! This should surely lead to lower prices and better service

 

[paulney]

Originally posted by: slsmnaz
Great! This should surely lead to lower prices and better service

I can't wait. For a total excellence package all US airlines should merge into one.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: slsmnaz
Great! This should surely lead to lower prices and better service

remember. its puff puff pass

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: slsmnaz
Great! This should surely lead to lower prices and better service

remember. its puff puff pass

LOL!

Cheers waggy! :beer:

 

[Epic Fail]

Welcome aboard United American Southwest Northwest Delta Continental USAir, buckle up.

 

[eLiu]

Hi crap, meet shit. Northwest blows

 

[CrackRabbit]

Originally posted by: slsmnaz
Great! This should surely lead to lower prices and better service

Or a giant flaming vortex of suck that will cause both companies to implode.
Either way it is a good thing.

 

[slsmnaz]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: slsmnaz
Great! This should surely lead to lower prices and better service

remember. its puff puff pass

I'm alone tonight so I'll skip the pass part

 

[Flammable]

Northwest is already in codeshare with KLM who is owned by Air France...damn biggest fleet in both America and Europe(and world)

 

[techs]

One big airline, one big telecom, one big cable company.
I have seen the future.
It is one.
And it sucks.

 

[UNCjigga]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: slsmnaz
Great! This should surely lead to lower prices and better service

remember. its puff puff pass

I guess it's pretty clear why they're keeping the Amsterdam hub

Who owns KLM anyway--does Northwest have a stake or is it all part of Air France now? Whatever happened with the Alitalia mess?

 

[venkman]

Originally posted by: techs
One big airline, one big telecom, one big cable company.
I have seen the future.
It is one.
And it sucks.

Natural progression of a competitive economy, without any regulation or accounting for short term technological change, is monopolies as the more efficient survive and the less efficient drop out and barriers to entry keep rising and rising (harder to break into an industry vs a large company compared to many smaller companies).

 

[DaWhim]

yea....got some shares of delta at $8.66.

 

[miketheidiot]

well at least we will have one fewer crappy airline

 

[WarhammerUC]

i think i saw it in wsj, lose double the baggage at half the cost..

 

[GTaudiophile]

They already have a web site:

http://www.newglobalairline.com/

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: venkman

Originally posted by: techs
One big airline, one big telecom, one big cable company.
I have seen the future.
It is one.
And it sucks.

Natural progression of a competitive economy, without any regulation or accounting for short term technological change, is monopolies as the more efficient survive and the less efficient drop out and barriers to entry keep rising and rising (harder to break into an industry vs a large company compared to many smaller companies).

Which is exactly the problem. Small airlines have been great at meeting needs and providing things like better service, lower fares, etc. However, since they don't have the financial resources to weather tough times, larger corps buy them and presto! back to crap.

 

[Old Hippie]

Originally posted by: techs
One big airline, one big telecom, one big cable company.
I have seen the future.
It is one.
And it sucks.

Except for the cable company, looks to me, like you're looking at the past, that's comming around again.

puff, puff, bogart.........wife's at work