By geekboy

April 15, 2008 11:03 AM | Link to this

Take that Kent Hrbek! Somewhere, Ron Gant smiles.

By John Karnes

April 15, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this

Today I received an email from Delta Airlines telling me how the proposed merger with Northwest will be good for Delta’s customers and explaining how to “make your voice heard on why you believe Delta’s plan to create America’s premier global airline is one that’s in best interest of airline customers.”

I’m a customer, and there is no way this is in my best interest - less competition will be bad for customers.

To illustrate this point I picked a random week in September, and priced two different round trip tickets on Delta’s web site. A September 10-17 round trip flight from Atlanta to San Francisco was $258. A trip for the same dates from Atlanta to Salt Lake City was $549.

So if Delta can fly me to San Francisco for $258, how can it cost more than twice as much to fly a shorter distance? According to Delta’s web site the longer flight is an additional 550 miles. It sure isn’t fuel costs that make the significantly LONGER flight cheaper. It’s competition. AirTran and United also fly direct to San Francisco.

This “deal” with Northwest will make Delta the only game in town for direct flights to even more destinations and we will see the price gouging escalate. Every route where Delta is the only option for a direct flight is usually twice as much as flights to even further destinations where there are competing carriers. This will just create more of those situations.

I live in Atlanta and this deal will cost me money - We aren’t stupid, the numbers are there for everyone to see.

By Jimmy

April 15, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this

Minneapolis already has enough healthy corporations headquartered there, whereas all of our corporations seem to either tank or get bought out and thus relocated elsewhere. Plus, our real estate is cheaper and our weather is better (except in August). So there!

By PK

April 15, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this

Jimmy, what are you talking about ?

In 2006 Atlanta ranked 3rd in the nation with 14 Fortune 500 Corporate HQ’s. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/cities/

Minneapolis only had 7 at that time.

By Stephen

April 15, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this

Wake up and smell the (price of) jet fuel US airlines have been unhealthy for too long. They face too many pressures from the economy, fuel prices and way too many other factors.

There has to be consolidation in the industry for US airlines to thrive globally That is the big picture.

Do we want a strong, healthy US airline industry? Or, do we eventually want Air China or Air India (for example) as the largest, strongest, healthiest carriers out there.

By RTK

April 15, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this

I think its a sad day for Minneapolis and Minnesota as a whole. The Corp. HQ should be moved up there immediately. And Jimmy is so incorrect, NWA means more to MN than Delta does to ATL. I too received an e-mail, but from NWA telling me that all is well, basically. Doubt it…Corporate mergers like this rarely benefit any one but the companies and executives themselves. And this is a win for ATL, so now you’ve defeated our Purple and our NWA. Nicely done, nicely done. I hope it falls through at the Federal Regulatory level. Not to mention, it will stifle competition. John D. Rockefeller would be proud… When is someone going to the big “M” word on this one?

By Mr. T

April 15, 2008 3:42 PM | Link to this

This is stupid.

By Chuck Hagel

April 15, 2008 3:43 PM | Link to this

Having lived in MN for 10 years, here are the things that Delta and their travelers should REALLY be watching for. Higher fares, up charge to sit in an aisle or window seat, lower wages (MN has a higher average salary), rude Flight Attendants (has one of the worst feedback from passengers).

There are just a few of the things we used to affectionately call “NorthWORST” airlines. Ask anyone from MN and they’ll tell you the same!

There go the “friendly skies”! PS: take your pillow with you, you’re gonna lose that too!

By Taxpayer

April 15, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this

I hope Congress doesn’t kill this under some “consumer” guise. Without consolidation our airlines are going to fold under their own weight. Im not sure Northwest is the best answer as their fleet is drastically different than deltas….that means more pilots more mechanics more stewardesses more parts for all the different types of planes. Not exactly the best cost savings but the consolidation of routes and facilities could help greatly. I just hope they get rid of NWAs DC9 fleet that needed to be retired years ago….some of their stewardesses even longer than that!!

By Taxpayer

April 15, 2008 3:46 PM | Link to this

I hope Congress doesn’t kill this under some “consumer” guise. Without consolidation our airlines are going to fold under their own weight. Im not sure Northwest is the best answer as their fleet is drastically different than deltas….that means more pilots more mechanics more stewardesses more parts for all the different types of planes. Not exactly the best cost savings but the consolidation of routes and facilities could help greatly. I just hope they get rid of NWAs DC9 fleet that needed to be retired years ago….some of their stewardesses even longer than that!!

By Taxpayer

April 15, 2008 3:46 PM | Link to this

I hope Congress doesn’t kill this under some “consumer” guise. Without consolidation our airlines are going to fold under their own weight. Im not sure Northwest is the best answer as their fleet is drastically different than deltas….that means more pilots more mechanics more stewardesses more parts for all the different types of planes. Not exactly the best cost savings but the consolidation of routes and facilities could help greatly. I just hope they get rid of NWAs DC9 fleet that needed to be retired years ago….some of their stewardesses even longer than that!!

By J.C. Thompson

April 15, 2008 3:47 PM | Link to this

I would rather see a merger than delta and it’s jobs leave town.

By sowegaman

April 15, 2008 3:54 PM | Link to this

The American flying public is shallow. They complain about crowded planes and lack of service while expecting cheap fares. The airline industry’s best bet is to double the fares, send the flying bus crowd back to the buses, and make flying today comparable to the 1960s and 70s before Jimmy Carter signed the Airline Deregulation Act. No industry can survive without covering the basic cost of operation. Higher fares is the only answer for returning service and profit to this once-proud industry.

By Jonny

April 15, 2008 3:55 PM | Link to this

I don’t know about Northwest, but I had the unfortunate experience of living in MN for about 2.5 years. The weather was fine, you adjust and learn to enjoy winter activities, the fishing is superior to Georgia fishing… but the people. The people there are sanctimonious a-holes.

I still want to organize a rabble from the South to picket their capital, protesting their flag with the wild Indian on horseback with the settler next to a rifle. I mean, what’s that about? Looks a bit racist to me, you sanctimonious Aryans!

Maybe that’s just me… I think the folks there are jerks. The corporate merger may be an issue if cultures clash, but I doubt it as most corporate cultures at that level, the same segment of the industry to boot, are homogenized.

By Stewart

April 15, 2008 3:59 PM | Link to this

John, you’ve only half right. Short flights are usually on smaller airplanes with less passengers. There are many variables, but competition is one of them.

By AH

April 15, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this

If we can eliminate some of the unions then this is a win for everyone. The reason Northworst is so bad is because of the unions. Delta is in a better airline currently because of weaker and fewer unions associated with it.

By Michael

April 15, 2008 4:22 PM | Link to this

“Delta is in a better airline currently because of weaker and fewer unions associated with it. “

Yeah — Let’s make sure that nobody can earn enough money to fly on the new airplanes. That’s the way to ensure success.

By Michael

April 15, 2008 4:24 PM | Link to this

“Delta is in a better airline currently because of weaker and fewer unions associated with it. “

Yeah — Let’s make sure that nobody can earn enough money to fly on the new airplanes. That’s the way to ensure success.

By Brad

April 15, 2008 4:27 PM | Link to this

This is not about Atlanta vs. Mineapolis or Georgia vs. Minnesota. This is about trying to control costs in business. And this is only the begining of airline industry consolidation. Delta and NWA may be first but they won’t be the last to merge. If they didn’t merge together, there are other options for both companies. There are many goods things that could happen if the merger is done quickly and the airlines find a way to keep employees and customers happy. Over the last few years NWA has seen a dramatic drop in customer satisfaction due to the way it treated it’s employees. Unhappy employees mean unhappy customers. The only thing I ask of both companies is that when all is said and done keep your customers in mind and realize that there are other options than always booking an airline ticket. It might be a wonderful time to see the country side via train or leave the driving to someone else…

By Alexis

April 15, 2008 5:06 PM | Link to this

Quite frankly, Delta has been a ghetto airline for a good while; I place them in the ranks below even AirTran when it comes to class. I personally would have liked to watch that company crumble rather than merge; but since they are merging I can only hope that the Delta stewardesses gain some couthe and decorum, and that the ticket counter agents learn to speak English rather than ebonics or ghetto speak.

By Jack Sheet

April 15, 2008 5:19 PM | Link to this

John Karnes is exactly right. Without competition we will all pay more to fly on DLNWA.

On a personal note I am NW gold and now I will be waiting behind the hordes of DL plats so sucks to be me (small violins playing in background).

By Jane Brinkley

April 15, 2008 5:21 PM | Link to this

I in no way like Northwest Airlines and absolutely refuse to fly with them. I love Delta, and shudder to think how this will effect them. Looks like Continental will get me there with care!

By chris

April 15, 2008 5:28 PM | Link to this

Alexis where are coming from. Delta has the Crown Room Club in Atlanta, 10 of them, the Business Medallian Club, first class, and business elite. Airtran is an all coach airline. What do you mean “ghetto” airline? I have to fly once a week to New York, Boston, or Seattle for business and im always pleased with the service i recieve from Delta and the Atlanta airport. And heres something to think about, you would rather see the *3rd largest airline in the world * crumble?

By Ron

April 15, 2008 5:29 PM | Link to this

MN - Safe, nice downtown area. ATL - thugs, homeless, dangerous. MN - a murder once a week. ATL - several murders daily, especially in DeKalb. MN - mostly nice, normal, safe, white people. ATL - all thugs except a few parts in Buckhead, Midtown, and Atlantic Station. ATL - Few blacks claim racism daily. ATL - Many blacks are racist all the time, especially if it is their fault (speeding, selling drugs, etc)

By Matt

April 15, 2008 5:30 PM | Link to this

In the 1920s, there were 100s of car makers. Now, there are only 3 US and 10 or so foreign car makers with any kind of substantial sales. The auto industry consolidated due to the high capital costs involved.

Airlines, especially those operating at major airports, similarly have high capital costs along with high, redundant regulatory costs and lower costs will eventually be passed on to consumers because of competition. My guess is the airline industry will mainly exist as American, United and Delta within a couple of years with Southwest and Airtran mainly serving smaller airports.

By Betaband2

April 15, 2008 5:42 PM | Link to this

PK wrote: “In 2006 Atlanta ranked 3rd in the nation with 14 Fortune 500 Corporate HQ’s. Minneapolis only had 7 at that time.”

PK - You are incorrect in your statement. There may be 7 Fortune 500 companies headquartered within Minneapolis city proper. However, there are a total of 20 Fortune 500 companies in the Minneapolis metropolitan area (i.e. they are headquartered in the Minneapolis suburbs). Just like I am sure not all of the Fortune 500 companies in atlanta are within atlanta city proper itself.

so as of 2006 i think that made it 20 Fortune 500 companies for Minneapolis & 14 for atlanta.

Minneapolis wins son! And we always will. Regardless of the NWA deal as it currently stands.

By CJ

April 15, 2008 5:47 PM | Link to this

Ron,

What does that have to do with the point of this thread?

By Chris

April 15, 2008 5:52 PM | Link to this

Ron, please try not to be a bigot. This is about Delta and NorthWest.

By chris

April 15, 2008 6:01 PM | Link to this

Ron, where are you coming from! Im a business consultant living on the 31st floor in a downtown apartment building. I work on the 191 block of downtown and walk there morning and night and i’m a daily user of the public transportation. There are people everywhere during the midday and evening-night hours. Trust me, i would know!! Im safe and love walking to bars, lounges, dinners, hotels, etc. Go outside once in while!

By Nathan Gilbert

April 15, 2008 6:02 PM | Link to this

I’m very happy to see this merger beginning to take shape. I don’t think that Congress will be able to put any real pressure on the Justice Department to prohibit this merger. As someone who grew up in the Midwest I’ve seen a lot of Northwest in action. It was never the greatest airline, but in reality most of the major US airlines are pretty close when it comes to service. I would not count on the new Delta keeping all the current hubs open. Northwest’s Memphis hub is very close to Atlanta and will probably be shut down. The only argument I’ve heard for keeping it open was that it could act as a relief airport for ATL, much the same way that the DFW hub was used, but then again Delta did shut down that hub too. Delta will close Cincinnati, or what’s left of Delta’s operation there. It’s redundant to the Detroit hub. Minneapolis/St.Paul is a strange location for a hub, but the metro area seems to support it and there are a lot of major businesses in the area to spend money on the much coveted business flier. Detroit will grow in international traffic, especially to Asia. It will be the major midwest hub for the new Delta and will come second only to Atlanta. Salt Lake City will grow and New York’s JFK will also grow somewhat. So the basic casualties will be Cincinnati, Memphis and the loss of many white-collar jobs in Minneapolis-St.Paul as the HQ of a major airline leaves town.

By chris

April 15, 2008 6:15 PM | Link to this

To Betaband2, youo said that greater Minneapolis has 20 fortune 500’s over Atlanta’s 14. Well, Metro Atlanta has 31. 17 of those are outside the city limits and 14 are within. Atlanta is simiply a larger and more economically stable city.

Atlanta wins.

By chris

April 15, 2008 6:22 PM | Link to this

Betaband2, you said greater Minneapolis has 20 fortune 500’s, more than Atlanta’s 14. Well those 14 are all in the city limits, thats why they have an Atlanta adress. Metro Atlanta really has 31 fortune 500’s. 17 outside the limits and 14 within. Atlanta is simply a larger and economiclly stable city than Minneapolis.

Atlanta wins!

By Ron is an idiot

April 15, 2008 6:30 PM | Link to this

Ron, you are a f’ing blithering IDIOT. You were trying too hard with your MN vs ATL comparison. Your last two sentences (as imcomplete as they are) make absolutely no sense whatsoever. Next time think before you try to be so disruptive.

By Alexis

April 15, 2008 6:36 PM | Link to this

Chris — when I say Delta is a ghetto airline, I mean just that. It is staffed with the most repugnant trash of society. I had one ticket agent on my last flight with Delta (unfortunately they were the only airline available at the time) who actually spoke with the most ghetto tone, in ebonics! I was utterly insulted. Delta is what it employs, ghetto thugs, urban street trash and just general, all around nastiness.

By Steve

April 15, 2008 6:37 PM | Link to this

No way this deal gets done. There are 6 major airlines right now. All will merge with someone if it gets approved. That takes 6 major airlines and reduces it to 3. No way this country allows only 3 major airlines. Many cities would have only 1 airline.

Either way, Delta-NWA is in bankruptcy again in 2 years as gasoline goes to $7 per gallon. The airline business ain’t what it used to be.

By chris

April 15, 2008 6:48 PM | Link to this

Alexis , what is your problem!!? do look down on the rest of society? do you feel superior to them? Thats real urban street trash!! * Every city, evry airline *has employees that you catogorize as “ghetto”

GET OVER YOURSELF!!

By Jimbo

April 15, 2008 6:50 PM | Link to this

Alexis - please be sure to put away your white hood before entering the airport area - some folks might find it offensive. Thanks!

By Stacey

April 15, 2008 6:55 PM | Link to this

I’m embarassed to tell anyone I live in Atlanta. Before you say ‘leave’ I am in the process.

Customer service at Delta is bad. The flight attendants I have noticed speak very poorly and make the whole flight feel cheap.

I feel it is a direct result of the Atlanta connection. It all feels trashy.

By TJD

April 15, 2008 7:02 PM | Link to this

Honestly - this really isn’t about Minnesota vs Georgia as others have stated. I’ve lived in both states and both have their good points and bad points. I’ve flown both airlines and neither one of them deserves a gold star over the other. Less competition means more cost to the consumer - not good.

By jj

April 15, 2008 7:02 PM | Link to this

Steve,

Your second paragraph counters your first. If gas gets that high, it doesn’t matter if there are 6 majors or 3, either way some are going to be gone.

All those here arguing about competition need to understand that without consolidation there is a good chance that some of these airlines will go under. EAL, TWA, PAN-AM - all profitable airlines once upon a time. If we lose more, competition disappears either way. Their bleeding badly now, a merger may allow them to weather the storm, then again, maybe not.

By scottbravesfan

April 15, 2008 7:33 PM | Link to this

You stole the 91 world series at least you could do is give us some air line business.

By Jimbo

April 15, 2008 7:37 PM | Link to this

Stacey - Delta is ready when you are. 8-)

By throckmorton

April 15, 2008 8:14 PM | Link to this

I lived in Minnesota for 8 endless snow-filled years before moving to Atlanta.

The place sucks beyond comparison.

Anything we can do to move Minnesota into the 21st century, I’m all for. If that means taking over their crummy airline, yeah!

There’s no describing how bad the Twin Cities are as a place to live. Snow, cold, provincial people, no class, no culture, nothing. Avoid whenever possible. I hate the place.

By WalterK

April 15, 2008 8:26 PM | Link to this

I have worked under Anderson. And I moved to DTW when NWA closed the DC-9 base here for Maintenance. NWA is a s** airline. They farm out all their heavy maintenance, lots of it to China. That’s how they get all their inspections done, signed by the Chinese. Delta has a GREAT maintenance operation now, but just wait till Richard and his boys get through with it. And all you flyers, you are sheep! I was in Denver in ‘83 when Lorenzo STOLE everyones tickets when he took Continental into bankruptcy - the next day people were lined up out the doors of the airport and around the front of Stapleton to buy $49 tickets. Bah-bah! Baaaahhhh. I am out of the industry now because it is not worth the hassle and hard work. I laugh at you all waiting in security lines and hoping the old NWA planes stay up at 35,000ft. Baaaaa!

By WalterK

April 15, 2008 8:28 PM | Link to this

I have worked under Anderson. And I moved to DTW when NWA closed the DC-9 base here for Maintenance. NWA is a s** airline. They farm out all their heavy maintenance, lots of it to China. That’s how they get all their inspections done, signed by the Chinese. Delta has a GREAT maintenance operation now, but just wait till Richard and his boys get through with it. And all you flyers, you are sheep! I was in Denver in ‘83 when Lorenzo STOLE everyones tickets when he took Continental into bankruptcy - the next day people were lined up out the doors of the airport and around the front of Stapleton to buy $49 tickets. Bah-bah! Baaaahhhh. I am out of the industry now because it is not worth the hassle and hard work. I laugh at you all waiting in security lines and hoping the old NWA planes stay up at 35,000ft. Baaaaa!

By Exmech

April 15, 2008 8:29 PM | Link to this

I have worked under Anderson. And I moved to DTW when NWA closed the DC-9 base here for Maintenance. NWA is a s** airline. They farm out all their heavy maintenance, lots of it to China. That’s how they get all their inspections done, signed by the Chinese. Delta has a GREAT maintenance operation now, but just wait till Richard and his boys get through with it. And all you flyers, you are sheep! I was in Denver in ‘83 when Lorenzo STOLE everyones tickets when he took Continental into bankruptcy - the next day people were lined up out the doors of the airport and around the front of Stapleton to buy $49 tickets. Bah-bah! Baaaahhhh. I am out of the industry now because it is not worth the hassle and hard work. I laugh at you all waiting in security lines and hoping the old NWA planes stay up at 35,000ft. Baaaaa!

By GABullet

April 15, 2008 8:29 PM | Link to this

It is interesting what people think about each others cities. I am an Atlantan and it is not about racism or Fortune 500 companies, it is about survival. As American’s we have created our own problems and the rich are still getting richer and middle class is finally feeling the effects of this. Corn, wheat, oil, healthcare, who can afford it?

I am not a big Delta Fan but think the move is in the best interest of the industry. I know that the movement of oil barrels by $1 higher will cost airlines double digit millions each year. How do they recoup it?

Some airlines will survive smaller like the Airtrrans of the world. But larger companies need to get larger to get well again. So consolidation is this matter will be good for consumers as the price is going up anyway and if you don’t like it then fly AirTran, US Air or take the bus……

By Betaband2

April 15, 2008 8:39 PM | Link to this

throckmorton - have you always been such a giant douche bag? or just as of late? i am quite sure you never lived in minneapolis because you seem to know nothing of the area. you did however think it would be good fun to “flame” a little and pretend that you did on an obscure message board so you could use it as a “basis” to take cheap shots at (non of which are even close to true) a great metropolitan area like minneapolis. have fun making up stories online in your lonely little world tonight. i hope you find a few more loser “friends” like yourself.

By humbug

April 15, 2008 9:05 PM | Link to this

Quit bitching you insecure wannabes. You will never be happy because of your selfcentered dispositions. The NWA employees should accept the change gladly because they will be better off. The unhappy passengers seem better suited to Greyhound bus travel. Sure flying is getting more expensive, but you can’t find any other product that is not. Thank your Democrat controlled congress for lowering the value of the American dollar on the world market. We at Delta will do our best to make you feel welcome. Customer service truly is terrible, compared to the past. Upper management executives with little or no airline experience have screwed that up because their only concern has been their salaries and the money had to come from somewhere, and they didn’t care. That will change over the next several months. A great example of this is the former NWA head, who will do nothing but occupy a chair at the directors meetings will get paid $30,000,000.00 a year.

By Betaband2

April 15, 2008 9:14 PM | Link to this

chris wrote: “Betaband2, you said greater Minneapolis has 20 fortune 500’s, more than Atlanta’s 14. Well those 14 are all in the city limits, thats why they have an Atlanta adress. Metro Atlanta really has 31 fortune 500’s. 17 outside the limits and 14 within. Atlanta is simply a larger and economiclly stable city than Minneapolis. Atlanta wins!”

are you really that stupid chris?! or do you just play that role while you are on the internet pretending to be smart? please don’t let facts get in your way. i know that would be just horrible. according to forbes as of 2007 metro atlanta had 14 fortune 500 companies. minneapolis metro had 20 fortune 500 companies. i will spell it out for you 20>14

seriously. where did you go to school? atlanta?! great schools you guys have down there. if you are an example of atlanta’s “best & brightest” no wonder most folks from northwest’s minneapolis headquarters don’t want to move themselves or their children down there.

okay class let’s wrap up this little lecture for chris so we can all go home. according to your “flawless” logic in your earlier post - minneapolis must simply a larger and more economiclly stable city than atlanta.

again, minneapolis wins!

touche buddy. god, i hate always being right. read it and weep. again please ever let facts get in your way.

[http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2007/states/CA.html]

By chris

April 15, 2008 9:31 PM | Link to this

read the fine print betaband2! There are 14 fortune 500 in the Atlanta city limit! Minneapolis has 7in their city limit. its in the city limit!!

plus, Emory and georgia tech are considered southern Ivy institutions. LOOK IT UP MORON.

By Newsboy

April 15, 2008 9:47 PM | Link to this

ACTUALLY BETABAND2 … the Fortune Web site you cite makes it very clear that Atlanta is home to 12 Fortune 500 Company HEADQUARTERS while Minneapolis is home to 8 (eight). Our biggest is HOME DEPOT … yours is TARGET. Which is a nice store and we all love much more than Wal-Mart. But what’s the point?

Atlanta still ranks 3rd nationally in corporate HQs. We also rank 14th worldwide for biggest skylines (not that anybody is going there) …

By J.R.

April 15, 2008 9:59 PM | Link to this

A response to those concerned that a Delta/Northwest merger will mean higher airfares: I don’t think this matters one bit. Airfares are going up overall simply because the cost of operating an airline is much higher. Check oil prices lately, anyone? Here’s some perspective: I work for Delta; the cost of a the average flight has gone DOWN since I started in reservations in 1990.

Also, because I’ve alwayws worked for Delta in the northeast (Boston and New York), I don’t really much care where the headquarters are. Culturally, though, I prefer Minnesota. Bummer that when Delta merged with Northeast, they didn’t move the headquarters to Boston! (By the way, I read the AJC daily to keep up on Delta news.)

By joe

April 15, 2008 10:21 PM | Link to this

This is interesting. Read the Minneapolis’s Star Tribune’s blog. I don’t think this is about comparing one city to another. Minneapolis-St. Paul is cold. Atlanta is hot. Big deal. The residents of each city cope with it. Northwest was bought by a St. Paul Businessmen in 1927. Delta started in the ‘20’s the same way NWA did. Its business, the airlines have to merge to compete. Prices will go up. Eagan(Suburb of Minneapolis), Minnesota will lose the NWA headquarters and jobs with it. Atlanta will maintain a headquarters and jobs with it in the long run. The twin cities has a pretty diverse Corporate Headquarter mix(Best Buy, Target, Medtronic, 3M, Ameriprise,United Health etc.) Congressman Jim Oberstar D-Minnesota (also chair of the House Transportation Committee) is going to try to stop the merger. One of his offices is in Chisholm, Minnesota where NWA’s Worldperks are based.

By chris

April 15, 2008 10:56 PM | Link to this

Atlanta is a joke compared to pther cities of it’s size. No commuter rail and its not coming anytime in the near future. the guy comparing atl to min is 100% correct. there has not been once that I have ever ridden marta and not been panhandeled, while I’ve lived in chicago for 3 years and you leave a laptop on a train and it actually makes it to lost and found. I am so glad that I no longer live in Atlanta,and I never have plans on moving back there. anybody who makes the move from MN to ATl is going to HATE atlanta for its disfunctionality. Even Los Angeles got its crap together more than Atlanta. Atlanta will never amount to anything great as long as it has such a crappy transportation infrastructure, and atlanta will never have a good rail system, so long as politicians and special people keep rail off the agenda.. they have been talking commuter rail for 20 years now and it has never come to fruitation. atlanta is now the largest metropolitan region in the country without some sort of commuter rail. the traffic is killing the place.

By Prootwadl

April 15, 2008 11:01 PM | Link to this

Home Depot’s headquarters is in unincorporated Cobb County, not in the City of Atlanta. 30339, people, and OTP to boot, right to the west of 285 on Paces Ferry Road. :-)

Of course, Best Buy’s headquarters is in Richfield, and Northwest’s in Eagan, so it looks like the suburbs win in both instances…

By Stop Your Whining!

April 15, 2008 11:07 PM | Link to this

It’s not about Atlanta. It’s not about Minneapolis.

It’s about business. Delta is in the business to make money for its stockholders.

I am amazed at the tones of entitlement folks have when it comes to airlines. Low airfares are not an entitlement. If Delta can make money flying to an obscure destination, I’m sure it helps to off-set their losses competing to other locations.

It’s all about money & profits. Why else would they be in business????

By Chris

April 15, 2008 11:11 PM | Link to this

I lived in Atlanta 14 years befor emoving to Minnesota 12 years ago. Northwest is joking called Northworst, but I fly about 60,000 miles a year on NWA and think they do just fine. Delta (Doesn’t Ever Leave Terminal A—hole) has its moments as well. The word on “The Street” is that Delta will remain headquartered in ATL with a “significant presence” in Minnesota.
I think the merger works well for the airlines and their stability - but, if the price gouging begins and the unions continue to believe they can dictate how businesses are run, it won’t matter in the long run. United and American are already pricing themselves out of markets NWA and Delta served better - stabilize pricing and we all win.

By Chris

April 15, 2008 11:13 PM | Link to this

I lived in Atlanta 14 years befor emoving to Minnesota 12 years ago. Northwest is joking called Northworst, but I fly about 60,000 miles a year on NWA and think they do just fine. Delta (Doesn’t Ever Leave Terminal A—hole) has its moments as well. The word on “The Street” is that Delta will remain headquartered in ATL with a “significant presence” in Minnesota.
I think the merger works well for the airlines and their stability - but, if the price gouging begins and the unions continue to believe they can dictate how businesses are run, it won’t matter in the long run. United and American are already pricing themselves out of markets NWA and Delta served better - stabilize pricing and we all win.

By Steve

April 16, 2008 12:24 AM | Link to this

As a Cincinnati-area resident, this merger is not good for me or my area. Job losses and route cuts will follow, as soon as regulatory approval is received. Until then, the management will say ANYTHING to get that approval.

The e-mail appeal for me to contact other customers and my congressmen to lobby for this, is insulting, quite frankly.

By M

April 16, 2008 2:05 AM | Link to this

WORST IDEA EVER. All I can say is Delta “we’re so much better treated because we aren’t unionized” should get ready for the Richard and Dougie show, because it is all going to change. Think you had it rough in the bankruptcy, well, watch out when there are large-scale layoffs of maintenance (outsourced to China), ground crew and cleaners (outsourced to resident aliens who barely speak Ingles) and closure of reservations centers throughout the country (outsourced to the Phillipines). YOUR WONDERFUL DELTA FAMILY IS HISTORY !

By CB

April 16, 2008 5:32 AM | Link to this

This talk about “price gouging” is simply ridiculous. Wake up America, you can’t expect to continue to fly everywhere for less than what you pay for a tank of gas!! It’s high time this industry be able to do what every other industry in America does: pass off costs to the consumer rather than force their employees to subsidize them.

By bobby schmotz

April 16, 2008 11:21 AM | Link to this

I relocated to ATL with another airline from DC. Lived in ATL for 5 years before moving to MSP with NWA. I actually like both cities/states; however, independently can state the following pros/cons to both: MSP Pros - great schools, great infrastructure (lots of taxes that actually go to good things), “nice” people to your face (that counts), low crime rates compared to other major cities, good weather in the non-winter seasons, centrally located to each coast, they have water, great healthcare throughout the state. MSP Cons - high taxes, clicky people that have lived in MN all there lives and don’t take kindly to outsiders, little diversity and culture (beyond sweedish and norwegian culture), terrible…and i mean really terrible winters, high cost of living for everything, a frozen tundra for 6 months out of the year. ATL Pros - low taxes, low cost of living, nice weather for most of the year, some culture (bbq and krispy creme donuts are taken seriously), some nice people - some. ATL Cons - bad traffic, bad crime, bad “southern hospitality” compared to other southern towns, very very very bad schools, very very very divisive race relations on both sides of the color line, bad healthcare systems, bad infrastructure (taxes are low though), road kill that stays there for years - bad public services, etc.

As for airlines, I’ve worked for 5 and both NW/DL have there pros and cons. They are both needing to consolidate and it will help the industry eventually. Service wise, I strongly believe CO has the best in this country. NW/DL are a wash, but they’re much better than Southwest or US Airways and light years beyond Air Tran!

By Greg

April 16, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this

Humbug, get your facts straight, quit your b!tching, and go join a union like the other lemmings.

Now, on to the topic at hand,this is bound to happen and with the exception of the Asian market, NWA really doesn’t have anything positive to add to DL. And the headquarters had to be located somewhere…either GA or MN. It’s not about the cities that made the HQ decision, it’s the infrastructure. ATL already has the aiport infrastructure to support this merger and the airport is actually getting larger without the merger. Weather is more favorable in ATL for operations and that will reduce delays or cancellations from weather (See Chicago, Denver = snow), and the fees are lower to operate more flights. Had it been the other way around, HQ would be at MSP.

Of course, you’ll see the routes cut, staff levels change, and equipment changes (adios DC-9) and the fact of the matter, yes, consumers will see airfare increase. But why do we think we are entitled to low airfare when a typical ticket is 20-30% below the operating costs for the airline? How great would it be if we could buy a new car every day for 20% less than the cost to make?!?! The merger’s intention is to sell tickets with a profit…like every other business in the world.

The arguement can be made that “low-cost” carriers provide cheap airfare. Sure, for now. However, their business model is not sustainable with high fuel prices. Look how many LC Carries have gone under over the last couple weeks…ATA, Skybus, Aloha. Frontier even filled Chapter 11 (granted for “other” reasons). And actually, the beloved discount carrier, Jetblue, is very, very close to filing Chapter 11 (and even close to Chapter 7). The airline industry is a terrible business model and we need to realize, as consumers, their business is getting us from point A to point B as safely and efficiently as possible. Not serving us meals. Flight attendants are not there to serve drinks. Sure it’s nice, but they are there in the event of a disaster. Do you want the person sitting in 20F to lead the evacuation?

The merger is likely good for the company, but not necessariy good for airfare prices to the consumer. But price is not the only thing that is important in air travel. A merger will allow the “other” opportunites of travel to rise to the top…better schedules, more destinations, and hopefully profitabilty will bring back more service that has been cut because prices are low. I have traveled on Air Tran over 50 times and the do not offer any better service than any other airline. If you have bad service, it’s probably just the day. Oh, and have you noticed that Low cost carriers like Air Tran and Southwest have designs or patterns on their carpet? This is to make debris/garbage/peanuts less noticeable because they cut costs by not cleaning their aircraft as often as large carriers. And that’s a fact.

Anyway, I wish the merger luck as a resident of Atlanta. They need to do what they need to do to survive and I am glad HQ will be here in ATL because my fiance works for DL and I hate watching high school football in August because of the frozen falls/winters/springs!

By Falcon

April 16, 2008 8:10 PM | Link to this

Ahhhhh Sweet vindication. Just as I said it would happen! Welcome to Atlanta. Its warm!

World’s biggest airline World’s Busiest Airport

Take that soothsayer…you know who you are.

By Tony

April 17, 2008 7:39 AM | Link to this

I’m curious how many of the people who have posted lambasting Atlanta’s public transportation actually ride MARTA or realize that the Twin Cities just opened their first short light rail line last year? Atlanta leaders had the foresight to build a near 50-mile heavy rail subway system almost 30 years ago, not bad for a city that has never had more than 500,000 people. Having lived in Atlanta for seven years (now live in NYC) and visited the Twin Cities many times, my impression is that the Twin Cities is more committed to it’s cultural and arts institutions (the High is a fine institution but the Walker and Guthrie are far more world-known) and Atlanta is leaps and bounds ahead in its business acumen. It’s simply a city that exists to make money, very driven.

By NWFLYER

April 17, 2008 3:32 PM | Link to this

“DIXIE Airways”, sure is counting them chickens before they hatch.

ATLANTA sure wasn’t in such a hurry to brag when TEMPE was placing that rope around that neck. ENJOY your “psuedo” Victory while it lasts. You will eat CROW by the time this monster is killed.

The LAST thing Northwest flyers want is that sappy, slow, fake attitude of GRITTS and butter.

I will NEVER fly DUMMY(delta) Airways

By Anne

April 17, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this

NW Employees from a DL Employee: Hey….no one asked us if we wanted this merger. Life goes on. Get over it. We are not happy either. Can we send Anderson back to you? We need Hollis Harris!

By peter molina

April 18, 2008 12:31 PM | Link to this

Welcome to the plantation!

By Mke

April 18, 2008 3:14 PM | Link to this

That truly says it all Peter…SLAVES working for the MASTERS.

So STUPID they embrace NON UNION in the WORSE industry in America for employee abuse.

I feel for Northwest employees. I hope they FIGHT..FIGHT …and FIGHT somemore!

By pete

April 24, 2008 10:41 PM | Link to this

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2008/states/GA.html

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2008/states/MN.html

The latest for 2008. MN has more 500 companies than Georgia!!!

Minneapolis is a much nicer city than Atlanta!!! I have lived in both!! I moved there, because it ranks as one of the best cities to live in and I must agree!

By Test name

October 1, 2008 9:03 PM | Link to this

Just a test