World’s largest airline merger creates passenger questions

Delta Airline officials could not have been pleased about the free advertising and repeated images of their logo on a Northwest Airlines jet that narrowly escaped a Christmas Day bombing but what happens now?
 

After a year of seeking approvals, the US government has just officially approved Delta and Northwest operating as a single carrier, according to Delta executives. The process will be completed in the first quarter of this year and both airlines eventually will fly under the same codes.
 

Clearing that last big regulatory hurdle sets the stage for Northwest to disappear as a separate carrier by this spring and, Delta executives hope, to help unlock billions of dollars in merger benefits after operating the two carriers at arm’s length.
 

But what does that mean for passengers who will now be flying the world’s biggest airline?
 

Four longer-term impacts for passengers:
 

(1) Higher airfares are one major new prospect. "Whenever you reduce the number of competitors in the marketplace, the upward pressure on fares is inevitable," says Tim Winship, publisher of FrequentFliers.com. Hardest hit are likely to be shorter, regional flights.
 

(2) Fewer fights and more overcrowding are generally expected at first with less wiggle room for travelers to find empty seats. Single flight cancellations will have domino effects.
 

(3) The silver lining here is that the two carriers will offer more nonstop and direct flights and travelers will be able to virtually circle the globe without switching carriers, according to Terry Trippler, owner of TripplerTravel.com.
 

(4) There may be some rougher times ahead in the immediate future but better service will eventually win out, according to various commentators.
 

Delta and Northwest predictably see smooth skies ahead and suggest the merger’s impact on passengers will be minimal. Specifically, the sites say:
 

—For now, customers can continue to book travel on delta.com or nwa.com until all flights are combined into Delta’s operation during the first quarter of 2010, according to the airlines.
 

—After that, if all goes as planned, ticket-buying will involve only one carrier by mid-year. Check-in and gate locations for most airports served worldwide are being combined under the Delta brand.
 

—For the time being, Delta and Northwest’s websites will continue to operate separately, as will the two airlines’ reservations systems. Passengers can continue to purchase tickets as they have always done via delta.com or nwa.com, plus all Northwest-operated flights are offered for sale on delta.com.
 

—Existing itineraries and reservations should not be impacted by the merger, according to Delta. Whether ticketed on a Northwest or Delta flight, at most airports customers should check in at a Delta kiosk or with a Delta-uniformed agent. Check-in and gate locations for most airportsDelta and Northwest serve worldwide have been combined under the Delta brand.
 

—The SkyMiles and WorldPerks programs are now being consolidated into one best-in-class loyalty program. WorldPerks accounts have become SkyMiles accounts, according to Delta.
 

—For the latest information, Delta suggests contacting visit delta.com/what2expect.
 

By David Wilkening