Seen at wsj.com (subscriber link):
Northwest Airlines Corp. has been having recurring talks with Delta Air Lines Inc. about a potential link-up between the two, possibly after they both emerge from bankruptcy-court protection later this year, said people familiar with the matter.
Meetings between executives at various levels of management and between the airlines’ advisers have been occurring regularly for weeks, including some in recent days. These sessions have helped Delta’s creditors come to see a combination with Northwest as a realistic alternative to US Airways Group Inc.’s hostile takeover bid.
Hear, hear!
Northwest’s and Delta’s fleets are far more complimentary than US Air’s and Delta’s, presumably facilitating additional behind-the-scenes savings without causing too much passenger disruption.
And while some in Memphis and Cincinnati might be concerned about the likelihood of their loosing their hubs, considering both cities suffer from high airfares due to the anti-competitive nature of being “fortress hubs”…the news might not be all bad there.