Delta, Northwest to offer employees reciprocal travel rights

ATLANTA—As Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. try to woo regulators and shareholders to support their proposed combination, they are courting employees, too, with new travel privileges.

The companies said Tuesday that starting May 6 more than 100,000 employees and retirees of Atlanta-based Delta and Eagan, Minn.-based Northwest will get reciprocal access to both airlines' route systems for free, standby travel.

Many airlines allow employees and their immediate family members free flights on their respective carrier provided there is a seat available. Some retirees also have such travel privileges.

Currently, if a Delta employee wanted to fly in the main cabin on a Northwest flight, he or she would have to pay a small fee, Delta spokeswoman Betsy Talton said.

With the new program, that employee would fly for free on Northwest, and vice versa, Talton said.

The privileges cover all employees of both airlines as well as retirees who already have travel privileges, Talton said. Off-duty pilots already are allowed to fly for free on most other carriers if there is an empty cockpit jumpseat available.

Delta announced April 14 that it is buying Northwest in a stock-swap deal that would create the world's largest carrier.

Northwest shareholders still must vote whether to allow the acquisition of their company by Delta, while Delta shareholders must vote whether to issue new stock as part of the deal. The Justice Department also must sign off on the deal.

Although those processes are likely months away, Delta and Northwest are offering the employee travel privileges much sooner.

The two carriers have been trying to convince employees that the deal will be good for them in the long-run, and in the short-run some will get equity in the new company. Delta pilots stand to get raises and a voting board seat.

The proposed combination has already ruffled the feathers of some employees, particularly at Northwest.

After the deal was announced, Northwest pilots and the union representing most of Northwest's ground workers immediately announced they would fight the combination.

Northwest pilots are upset Delta management cut a deal with Delta pilots that gives them new benefits that currently don't extend to Northwest pilots. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is upset Northwest didn't consult with the union that represents its baggage handlers, ramp workers and ticket agents before announcing the combination.

Delta and Northwest executives have said they want to get a joint pilot contract and seniority agreement inked before the combination deal closes. Pilots at Delta and Northwest are looking to resume negotiations on merging their work forces.