Merger May Be Officially DOA

On Wednesday, pilots at Northwest Airlines, seemingly keen to keep hope alive for a possible merger with Delta Air Lines, suggested both sides could go to binding arbitration to hash out issues over combining seniority lists for both airlines... but Delta pilots wasted little time in soundly rejecting that plan.

The Delta chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association said it wasn't interested in having a third party negotiate talks with Northwest's ALPA chapter... a move that would appear to put the final, FINAL nail in the coffin of the oft-reported merger.

And that apparently suits Delta pilots just fine, despite definite signs high fuel prices and a troubled US economy are taking their toll on Delta's operations, and its bottom line.

"In short, there will be no binding arbitration," wrote Delta's ALPA chapter president, Lee Moak, in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "If management feels the time is now for consolidation, they would be wise to encourage both pilot groups to accept expedited arbitration."

As ANN reported Tuesday, Delta offered 30,000 workers -- over half its total workforce -- early buyout offers to trim its ranks. The airline officially said it only wants to cull its non-pilot workforce by about 2,000 positions... but added it would accept retirement deals from anyone who received the offer.

Delta also plans to cut capacity, and ground as many as 46 of its older, less-efficient aircraft.

FMI: www.delta.com, www.nwa.com, www.alpa.org