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Delta / NWA / Airline News / Flight Attendants / → All Tags

The Final Traces of Northwest Airlines Are Being Removed This Week

Fans of Northwest Airlines aren’t going to have a good start to their travel this week. Although the airline still won’t be totally merged into Delta just yet, things are getting pretty darn close. After a week of digging through their closets and showing off their in flight fashions from years past, Northwest’s flight attendants will be debuting Delta digs starting today. Let’s just hope everyone can get along and merge into one big Brady Bunch of an airline.

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Airplane Food / NWA / Airline News / Peanuts / → All Tags

Havoc Reigns as Peanuts Return to Northwest Flights

Passengers on Northwest Airlines so far this month may have noticed a small difference on flights; a fatty difference. You'd think that the return of peanuts to the snack offerings on Northwest would be met with approval by passengers, since getting any food in-flight has become a surprise. According to CNN, however, Northwest has forgotten about the legions of flyers with peanut allergies, who are now speaking up and protesting the change.

In response to people who have dire peanut allergies, such the wife of a man who explained that her allergy "... is so severe that if someone is sitting next to her and eating peanuts, the odor is enough to trigger an allergic reaction," Northwest will accommodate special peanut-related requests. Before your flight, call Northwest customer service and notify them of your allergy or aversion to peanuts. In response, they will create a "buffer zone of three rows in front of and three rows behind your seat," and you will be offered other substitute snacks. Will this development herald the creation of a hilarious no-peanuts section on future flights? If so, sign us up as we are stout fans of the in-flight pretzel.

Related Stories:
· Peanuts on Northwest Airlines Prompt Protests [CNN]
· Virgin Atlantic and Others Serving Moldy Food [Jaunted]
· Airplane Food coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: starrgazr]

New Routes / Delta / NWA / Airline Mergers / → All Tags

Delta Announces World Domination Plans

This is why Delta wanted to hook up with Northwest so bad: The soon-to-be supercarrier announced 15 new routes today, 12 of which aren't served by any US airlines. The focus of the planned expansions? Japan, Africa and Europe.

Delta already had direct US-Africa flights on lockdown, but with more planes on hand, it will further expand service there, to cities like Cape Town, Lagos, Luanda and Monrovia. As for Japan, the former Northwest hub at Tokyo-Narita will now be at Delta's disposal, for extra in-bound flights from Atlanta, New York and Salt Lake City.

The additional destinations and frequencies are great news if you already live in or near Delta (or NWA) hubs, but those of you on the fringes of the system might be in for trouble:

To prepare for the summer 2009 schedule, Delta in January will increase connectivity between its US hubs to improve customers’ connections to the world. Overall, Delta will offer 14.5 percent more capacity between Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, Salt Lake City, New York and Memphis in January 2009 compared with the year prior.

This doesn't necessarily mean Delta will be cutting service to smaller markets... But it could!

Related Stories:
· Full Details on New Flights [Official Site]
· Delta-Northwest Merger Gets Justice Department Approval [Jaunted]

[Photo: Faithful Chant]

Airline Mergers / Delta / NWA / → All Tags

Delta-Northwest Merger Gets Justice Department Approval

US regulators have approved the merger of Delta and Northwest, which means the two are one step closer to a deal. A court case that could still block the tie-up goes to trial November 5.

The Department of Justice released a statement:

The proposed merger between Delta and Northwest is likely to produce substantial and credible efficiencies that will benefit US consumers and is not likely to substantially lessen competition.

The two airlines currently compete with a number of other legacy and low cost airlines in the provision of scheduled air passenger service on the vast majority of nonstop and connecting routes where they compete with each other. In addition, the merger likely will result in efficiencies such as cost savings in airport operations, information technology, supply chain economics and fleet optimization that will benefit consumers.

Consumers are also likely to benefit from improved service made possible by combining under single ownership the complementary aspects of the airlines’ networks.

Well... We'll see about that!

Related Stories:
· DOJ Statement on the Merger [Official Site]
· Justice Approves Delta Merger [AP, via Google]

Eder Rojas / Flight Attendants / MySpace / Crime / Airlines / NWA / → All Tags

Fugitive Former Flight Attendant Updates MySpace Status *Again*

If Eder Rojas spent as much time in federal court as he does updating his MySpace page, we'd probably be able to clear up whether he's "iNoCeNt" or guilty of setting fire to a Compass Airlines plane on the way to Regina, Saskatchewan on May 7.

The fugitive former flight attendant was supposed to appear in US District Court in Fargo earlier this month but instead disappeared from his halfway house.

Maybe he's "ExciTeD!!!" because cops haven't tracked him down yet?

Update: Here's the bench warrant issued for Rojas' arrest. And here it is as a PDF!

Related Stories:
· Fugitive Former Flight Attendant Eder Rojas Still Has Time for MySpace [Jaunted]
· Eder Rojas May Update Myspace Status Soon [Jaunted]

Airline Mergers / Delta / NWA / → All Tags

Adventures of Link: Delta-Northwest Deal Still Percolating

Shareholders of Delta and Northwest will vote tomorrow on whether to merge the two beleaguered carriers. One little problem though: No one has any idea exactly how a tie-up will save the two airlines $2 billion a year. Still, it looks like the vote will be "yes" all around. (Why not, right?)

There's another problem left to contend with, too: Regulatory approval from the US Department of Justice. But while Delta and Northwest wait to hear on that, they can at least toast to a small victory with the FAA, which has approved an operating certificate for the proposed combined carrier.

Related Stories:
· Delta, Northwest Merger Goes to Vote [WSJ]
· Delta, Northwest Shareholders to Vote Thursday [AJC]
· Merger Vote Hangs on "Leap of Faith" [Bloomberg]
· From August: Delta-Northwest Deal May Actually Happen [Jaunted]

Eder Rojas / Flight Attendants / MySpace / Crime / Airlines / NWA / → All Tags

Fugitive Former Flight Attendant Eder Rojas Still Has Time for MySpace

ZOMG. We thought Eder Rojas' decision to abscond from his halfway house just before his trial in Fargo was proof enough that he has trouble making smart decisions. But that was before he logged into MySpace while on the run from the law today.

Last seen in the wee hours of September 5, Rojas--who's been accused of setting fire to a Compass Airlines jet flying between Minneapolis and Regina, Saskatchewan--was supposed to make an appearance at US District Court in Fargo on the morning of September 8. He didn't, and he's been on the lam since--though wherever he is, he apparently has internet access.

Related Stories:
· Eder Rojas [MySpace]
· Accused Fire-Setting Flight Attendant Disappears from Halfway House, Skips Court Appearance [Jaunted]
· Eder Rojas coverage [Jaunted]

Eder Rojas / Flight Attendants / MySpace / Crime / Airlines / NWA / → All Tags

Accused Fire-Setting Flight Attendant Disappears from Halfway House, Skips Court Appearance

Eder Rojas, a 19-year-old former Compass Airlines flight attendant accused of starting a fire in an airplane's lavatory while in flight, has slipped away from a Fargo halfway house and skipped a court appearance that was scheduled for Friday. Authorities have no idea where he is, but if there was any doubt in the court of public opinion that Rojas has a couple of screws loose in his noggin and shouldn't have a position of authority on an aircraft, it's pretty much gone now. Just like Rojas.

The charges stem from a May 7 flight from Minneapolis to Regina, during which Rojas allegedly used a lighter to set fire to some paper towels in the plane's lavatory because he was upset at having to work the route. The fire was extinguished and the plane diverted to Fargo with no injuries but plenty of white knuckles. You don't want a fire on your airplane.

It makes us wonder, were there no warning signs during his hiring and training process of his (allegedly) unstable mind? Did anybody in the chain of command get a feeling that Rojas was a little bit "off" and might not be the best fit for a job in which people's lives are on the line every day? We're 100% behind every measure that protects people from workplace bias, but in a position where so much is on the line, we'd hope that any glimmer of destructive behavior in a candidate would be addressed aggressively.

Related Stories:
· Attendant Charged in Fire a No-Show in Court [Canadian Press]
· Eder Rojas Profile [MySpace]
· Eder Rojas Coverage [Jaunted]

Airline Mergers / Delta / NWA / → All Tags

Delta Uniforms Are So Hot for '09

Once (and if) Delta and Northwest finally wrap up that merger they've been hyping, all 22,000 flight attendants at the new super-carrier will be wearing the same, Richard Tyler-designed duds.

Northwest cabin crews are probably looking forward to the change, even though it'll mean switching up their wardrobe: The carrier originally promised new uniforms after emerging from bankruptcy last year, but they never materialized.

As for other corporate stuff, Delta is prepping a quick shift in cocktail napkins, in-flight magazines and other logo gear to wipe the word Northwest from the post-merger carrier. If all goes to plan, NWA could be but a memory as soon as next summer.

Related Stories:
· Ahead of Merger, Delta Preps New Look [WSJ]
· Airline Mergers coverage [Jaunted]

[Not a photo of the Tyler uniforms: The Atlantic]

Airline Mergers / Delta / NWA / → All Tags

Airline Mergers: Delta-Northwest Deal May Actually Happen

It's been a bit since we last heard from Delta and Northwest about their forthcoming tie-up. But today Delta announced that pilots for both airlines have agreed to a "joint contract" that will cover all 12,000 of them when the merger is completed "later this year."

According to the Associated Press, the pilots still haven't figured out a way to combine their seniority lists--which decide who flies where and how much they're paid--but will agree to binding arbitration if they can't make a deal.

Though European regulators have already approved the merger, antitrust G-men in the US still have to give it the OK, as do shareholders. That later group might be encouraged to give it a nod if they believe what one industry analyst said today: Delta could turn a profit in 2009 if oil stays at its current price of about $115 a barrel.

Related Stories:
· Delta and Northwest Pilots Approve Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement [Official Site]
· Voting Deadline Looms for Delta, NWA Agreement [AP, via Google]
· UAL, Delta May Lead Carriers to Profit [Bloomberg]
· Airline Mergers coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Drewski2112]

Midwest Death Watch / Midwest Airlines / NWA / AirTran / → All Tags

Midwest Death Watch: Northwest Writes Off Its Midwest Investment

More bad news for the Milwaukee-based airline: Northwest Airlines' 47-percent share in the carrier has lost so much value that NWA has written off its $213 million investment in Midwest Airlines, which it bought with TPG Capital in January.

Paying passenger traffic for Midwest also dropped 16 percent in July compared to last year's numbers with 324,002 brave souls taking the ailing carrier. Northwest ended up buying Midwest to keep budget carrier AirTran from gaining a toehold in Milwaukee; now it's looking like they just ended up with a white elephant.

Related Stories:
· Northwest Writes off Midwest Investment [Milwaukee JS]
· Midwest Passenger Loads Down in July [Biz Journals]
· Midwest Death Watch coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: md11forever]

Crime / Airlines / NWA / Eder Rojas / Flight Attendants / Myspace / → All Tags

Eder Rojas May Update Myspace Status Soon

After allegedly setting fire to an aircraft, Eder Rojas was released into his father's custody to await trial in the case. But instead of keep a low profile, he's reportedly violated the terms of his release by contacting a former co-worker via email.

He's now been remanded to a halfway house in Fargo, North Dakota until his trail starts September 8. Assuming he's allowed to use the computer while there, we expect to see his Myspace "mood" updated soon. What's the emoticon for terminally foolish?

Related Stories:
· Eder Rojas' Profile [Myspace]
· Attendant in Plane Fire Held [KXMB]
· Eder Rojas coverage [Jaunted]