The Atlanta Traveler

Delta Airlines and Northwest announced a merger, creating the largest airlines in the world. The airline will be called Delta and will be based in Atlanta with some operations in Minneapolis. The merger is said to be due to increased airline costs. It is said to help offset oil prices. We are waiting to see if or how much airline tickets will increase. On one hand, a larger airline could have an incredible frequent flier program with awesome incentives. The merge between the two airlines, however, could also translate into power and control over prices because of a decrease in competition.

So, I think that we are looking at higher airline tickets, but I’m just speculating on that one. Pilots (probably Northwest) were complaining that the deal could interfere with their seniority.Delta employees are getting a stake in both shares of the airlines and greater job security, so says corporate. It sounds like they are pretty much such during these, ugh, tough economic times. Good deal.

What this Means to You

The press release states that:

Customers also will benefit from the combined carriers’ complementary route networks, which together will offer people greater choice, competitive fares and a superior travel experience to more cities than any other airline. In addition, combining Delta and Northwest will create a global U.S. flag carrier strongly positioned to compete with foreign airlines that are continuing to increase service to the United States.

It’s clear that the airline will benefit the global market which may translate to more global destinations departing from its Atlanta hub. International offices for the airlines will be located in Amsterdam, Tokyo, and Paris.

Routes to Asian Destinations/Caribbean

Northwestern is bringing its strong alliances with Asian markets to the table. Apparently, the press release said, Northwestern has a stronghold on Asian flights, while Delta has more flights to the Caribbean than Northwestern. Fellow travelers, get your passports ready. Hopefully, we can all still afford to travel. People usually eliminate travel and eating out during a recession.

Flying Comforts

According to a press release and commentary by the Cranky Flier, personal entertainment and lie flat seats will be standard on all flights. Thank goodness for that one!

What do you all think about the merge? Do you think that we’ll see more jobs? Higher ticket prices? Lower ticket prices? Better service or poorer services? What do you think that the merge will mean for Atlanta?