SimAirline.net - Viewpoint

Yesterday marked Northwest Airlines' final day of operations. While Northwest Airlines legally ceased to exist at the end of December and all January flights have technically been operated by Delta Air Lines, yesterday was the last time the 'Northwest' callsign and NW/NW codes were used. The final Northwest arrival was flight 2470, an A320 from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.

Going forward, all formerly Northwest flights can once more be found in the SkyTeam Timetable. Because they all now have Delta flight numbers, they should be filed through the Delta Virtual PIREP page. Of course, Northwest-painted aircraft are still flying, so it is acceptable to fly in Northwest livery. The Northwest Virtual PIREP should only be used for flying those flights in the SimAirline.net Timetable, i.e., discontinued flights.

For the last month the SkyTeam Timetable has not listed any Northwest flights. This change was unexpected for us and premature, as Northwest is still flying. The current merger timetable is for Delta and Northwest to achieve Single Operating Certificate after operations conclude on 31 December, while reservations will not cut over until after 31 January. Below are answers to many of your questions about how to fly and file Northwest flights.

What is considered a Northwest flight vs. a Delta flight?
The operating airline is not the deciding factor because of 'crossfleeted' flights, under which a Northwest aircraft may fly a Delta route, and vice versa. While you should always fly the appropriate aircraft, the marketing airline, i.e., DL or NW code, determines what we consider a Delta or Northwest flight.

So, how do I go about searching for Northwest flights?
Our new recommendation is to use the Northwest/KLM Timetable program. This will list flights with Northwest flight numbers through 31 January. Note: we continue to recommend that you use the SkyTeam Timetable for KLM flights.

How do I go about flying Northwest flights?
While they should obviously be with the appropriate aircraft, the choice of flying in Delta or Northwest livery is up to you. As discussed in one of our original merger FAQs, you should continue to use the "Northwest" callsign through 31 December. However, if flying a Northwest aircraft in Delta livery, the FAA has asked for the callsign to include the phrase "Delta colors" after the flight number, e.g., "Northwest 714 Delta colors." Effective 1 January, if flying in Northwest livery, we recommend having your callsign read the reverse, e.g., "Delta 714 Northwest colors." However, this last point has not yet been confirmed.

How do I go about filing Northwest flights?
Northwest flights should continue to be filed through the Northwest PIREP page, and must be filed with the Northwest flight number, not the Delta flight number.

When will Northwest Virtual close?
Although Northwest Airlines will close on 31 December or 31 January, depending on your perspective, we will keep Northwest Virtual open through SimAirline.net's close on 30 April. However, the only flights remaining will be those discontinued routes listed in the SimAirline.net Timetable.

We also recommend you read this NOTAM on Delta/Northwest crossfleeting.

If you have other unanswered questions, please contact me and ask.

Delta Air Lines today announced that it would double its presence at New York LaGuardia by trading assets with US Airways. Delta will take over the current US Airways Terminal and connect the two facilities, while US Airways will move into the Marine Air Terminal, originally operated by Pan Am and today primarily by Delta Shuttle. The move will increase Delta's presence from 16 to 27 gates and 148 to 272 daily flights.

In exchange, US Airways will receive 42 slots from Delta at Washington Reagan, forcing Delta to reduce service from 89 to 55 daily flights. US Airways will also receive route authorities from Delta to serve Sao Paulo Guarulhos and Tokyo Narita.

Delta will serve over 30 destinations from LaGuardia, although a list of new services has not been announced. US Airways meanwhile announced service to 15 new destinations from Reagan, including four served by Delta or Northwest today: Cincinnati, Des Moines, Grand Rapids, and Madison.

Over the last decade, Delta has been boosting its New York presence, primarily at JFK, while US Airways has been reducing its service from LaGuardia, but maintaining its leading position at Washington Reagan. The deal will require government approval. The day before, Continental Airlines reached a smaller deal with AirTran Airways in which AirTran would cease service at Newark and give its gate and its 10 slots to Continental in exchange for four slots at LaGuardia and six slots at Reagan.

This topic is being discussed on the Message Boards.

Delta Air Lines and Virgin Blue yesterday announced plans to form a joint venture between the U.S. and Australia and the South Pacific. This comes just a week after Delta launched service to Australia and joining the rapidly heating up Los Angeles-Sydney market.

The U.S. and Australia reached an open skies agreement last February, so one would expect regulatory approval to be relatively straightforward. However, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission recently denied Air Canada and Air New Zealand's request to codeshare on Vancouver-Sydney flights after Qantas complaints.

Delta and Virgin Blue had announced an interline agreement in March. Pacific Blue and V Australia will be included in the joint venture, although Polynesian Blue will not.

Delta Air Lines today becomes the latest U.S. airline (and the first since Pan Am) to serve six continents, as it launches service to Sydney from Los Angeles. Delta becomes the seventh airline in the world today to become part of the club, joining Air France, British Airways, Emirates, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, and South African Airways. Interestingly, most of the members are represented at SimAirline.net! Additional VAs we offer that serve six continents (thanks to discontinued routes or their historical status) are Alitalia, AOM, KLM, and Pan American.

In addition to today's Sydney launch, today Delta is starting service from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo Guarulhos and relocates Northwest's operations to Delta's facilities at Terminals 5 and 6. The most recent issue of Airline Business also had a special article on the increasing competition across the South Pacific.