General Lee
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Delta board to meet on merger plan
By Justin Baer and Francesco Guerrera in New York
Friday Feb 15 2008 19:10
Delta Air Lines (NYSE
AL) ' board plans to meet on
Wednesday to approve the US carrier's merger with rival
Northwest Airlines (NASDAQ:NWAC) , people close to the
matter said on Friday.
The two airlines have already shared their proposal with
labour leaders and have been working toward securing their
support. Late on Friday, those negotiations were still
ongoing, the people said. Northwest may also call a board
meeting for Wednesday, they said.
The two airlines have agreed to exchange Northwest shares
for those of Delta at little or no premium, the people said.
Securing support of pilots and other workers would be a
crucial victory for the carriers' executives, who are
mindful that any deal would face stiffer opposition in
Washington without endorsements from key employee groups.
The Air Line Pilots Association represents pilots at both
Delta and Northwest. While each group has said it was open
to consolidation, they are pushing for wage increases to
unwind concessions they made to their airlines during their
bankruptcies. They also want to resolve how their members
will rank in the combined company's seniority list, which
helps determines how much pilots are paid and what aircraft
they fly.
While pilots cannot technically block two airlines from
merging, they can help galvanise opposition. Delta was able
to fend off a hostile bid from US Airways last year in part
because of the pilots' co-operation with management.
Delta has a market value of about $7bn, including shares the
company will issue to creditors as part of its agreement to
exit bankruptcy. Northwest is worth about $5bn. Both
carriers filed for protection from creditors in 2005 and
emerged last year.
Delta and Northwest also still need to determine whether Air
France-KLM, their mutual European ally, will invest in the
combined company, the people said.
Neither company immediately returned calls seeking coment.
Bye Bye--General Lee
By Justin Baer and Francesco Guerrera in New York
Friday Feb 15 2008 19:10
Delta Air Lines (NYSE
Wednesday to approve the US carrier's merger with rival
Northwest Airlines (NASDAQ:NWAC) , people close to the
matter said on Friday.
The two airlines have already shared their proposal with
labour leaders and have been working toward securing their
support. Late on Friday, those negotiations were still
ongoing, the people said. Northwest may also call a board
meeting for Wednesday, they said.
The two airlines have agreed to exchange Northwest shares
for those of Delta at little or no premium, the people said.
Securing support of pilots and other workers would be a
crucial victory for the carriers' executives, who are
mindful that any deal would face stiffer opposition in
Washington without endorsements from key employee groups.
The Air Line Pilots Association represents pilots at both
Delta and Northwest. While each group has said it was open
to consolidation, they are pushing for wage increases to
unwind concessions they made to their airlines during their
bankruptcies. They also want to resolve how their members
will rank in the combined company's seniority list, which
helps determines how much pilots are paid and what aircraft
they fly.
While pilots cannot technically block two airlines from
merging, they can help galvanise opposition. Delta was able
to fend off a hostile bid from US Airways last year in part
because of the pilots' co-operation with management.
Delta has a market value of about $7bn, including shares the
company will issue to creditors as part of its agreement to
exit bankruptcy. Northwest is worth about $5bn. Both
carriers filed for protection from creditors in 2005 and
emerged last year.
Delta and Northwest also still need to determine whether Air
France-KLM, their mutual European ally, will invest in the
combined company, the people said.
Neither company immediately returned calls seeking coment.
Bye Bye--General Lee