Significant events in the history of Delta, Northwest

Significant events in the histories of Delta and Northwest:<br /> <br /> -1929: Delta starts its first passenger flights over a route from Dallas to Jackson, Miss.<br /> <br /> -1926: Col. Lewis Brittin founds Northwest Airways to carry air mail from the Twin Cities to Chicago with two rented biplanes. It flies its first ticketed passengers the next year.<br /> <br /> -1947: Northwest becomes the first commercial airline to fly from the U.S. to Japan.<br /> <br /> -1972: Northeast Airlines merges with Delta.<br /> <br /> -1986: Northwest acquires Republic Airlines, nearly doubling its work force.<br /> <br /> -1987: Delta merges with Western Airlines, becoming fourth largest U.S. carrier.<br /> <br /> -1989: Northwest is acquired in a leveraged buyout by an investor group that includes support from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.<br /> <br /> -1991: Delta purchases most of Pan Am's trans-Atlantic routes and the Pan Am Shuttle.<br /> <br /> -1998: Northwest pilots strike for 15 days.<br /> <br /> -Oct. 1, 2004: Northwest CEO Richard Anderson leaves to join UnitedHealth; Doug Steenland becomes CEO of Northwest.<br /> <br /> -Aug. 20, 2005: Northwest Mechanics strike rather than accept wage cuts and layoffs.<br /> <br /> -Sept. 14, 2005: Both airlines file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.<br /> <br /> -April 30, 2007: Delta emerges from bankruptcy.<br /> <br /> -May 31, 2007: Northwest exits bankruptcy protection.<br /> <br /> -Sept. 1, 2007: Anderson becomes CEO of Delta.<br /> <br /> -April 14, 2008: Delta and Northwest announce intent to combine in stock-swap deal.<br /> <br /> ---<br /> <br /> Sources: Public records, AP archives.

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