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Klobuchar Presses Northwest, Delta CEOs for Commitments on Jobs, Competition and Minnesota Air Service

Seeks firm commitments for vital Minnesota jobs and air service

May 7, 2008

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today pressed the CEOs of Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines for specific commitments that they will preserve jobs, competitive air service and key Minnesota facilities if their proposed merger proceeds.

“Northwest and Delta have described this as a merger of addition, not subtraction,’’ Klobuchar said. “I want to know what steps these executives will take to ensure that their promises are kept.’’

Responding to Klobuchar’s questions at the hearing, Delta CEO Richard Anderson said the carrier plans to maintain “indefinitely’’ its current reservations centers in Chisholm and Bloomington and that he anticipates no layoffs among frontline employees such as pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and ticket agents.

Anderson also said the combined carrier would maintain the current training facility in Eagan, a data center in Eagan and a cargo facility at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport.  He noted that there would be cuts to corporate headquarters employees in both the Twin cities and Atlanta.  He also noted that these commitments could change if the price of oil continues to increase.

Klobuchar is a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, which conducted a hearing today to examine the ramifications of the merger for consumers, workers, local communities and airline competition.

“Over the past few weeks, these executives have given a series of general assurances about preserving jobs, competition and air service,’’ Klobuchar said. “I want to know that those assurances will have staying power.’’

Klobuchar said today’s hearing will establish a record so that regulators from the Department of Justice and Department of Transportation can examine the broadest ramifications of the merger on the airline industry and consider conditioning government approval on specific commitments to preserve high-quality air service, competition and consumer choice.


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