The USA Today newspaper's Ben Mutzabaugh wrote in his column on 16 September 2005:
This would certainly be intriguing. Many in the airline industry, as well as observers in the capital markets, believe that some airlines need to be allowed to die. The overcapacity seems to be a problem for airlines and investors as more seats means lower prices to fill those seats. This is good for flyers, but not for airlines struggling with high fuel costs and high wages among the traditional carriers, whose pay structures were dictated when the government subsidized airlines but have never adapted to the era of deregulation.
Delta-Northwest merger to follow US Air/AmWest? When Delta and Northwest each filed for bankruptcy protection Thursday, they did so within minutes of each other and at the same New York courthouse. Merger rumors marrying the two now-bankrupt carriers already had been circulating over the past several months, but Thursday's events seem to have added a bit of credibility to the speculation. "I wouldn't be at all surprised" if the two airlines tried to merge, Benchmark analyst Helane Becker told USA TODAY. "In the past, these two airlines have talked and they have very little route overlap." And, the paper wrote that JPMorgan Chase analyst Jamie Baker said his firm "already has coined the term 'Delta Orient,' " meant to play off Northwest's former name of "Northwest Orient." The airlines' route networks would match up nicely. Northwest funnels most of its passengers to or through the Midwest. Delta's strongest presence is in the East, and the carrier also has a strong hub in the West at Salt Lake City. Internationally, Delta has more daily trans-Atlantic flights than any other carrier, while Northwest's Pacific routes are the cornerstone of its international network. If combined, the carrier would be the USA's largest in terms of revenue passenger miles.
One could argue for a return to regulation, but the lure is still in place for any group to start and airline. While the odds of starting and maintaining a profitable airline are against you, there are still those daring few willing to take the risk.
But what would a "Delta Orient" logo look like? Can I offer a suggestion? Perhaps bring back the mallard that flew on the North Central and Republic liveries (two predecessor airlines to Northwest). In place of the circle behind the mallard I propose the triangles of Delta's history be used. "Delta" would be the Delta font and "Orient" would use the newer "Northwest Orient" font.
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