European regulators approve Delta-Northwest deal

ATLANTA — European regulators said today they have cleared Delta Air Lines Inc.'s proposed acquisition of Northwest Airlines Corp. The European Commission said in a statement that after examining the operation, it concluded that the transaction would "not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area or any substantial part of it." Atlanta-based Delta still needs Justice Department approval and the approval of its shareholders and the shareholders at Eagan, Minn.-based Northwest. Delta announced April 14 its stock-swap deal to acquire Northwest and create the world's largest carrier in terms of traffic. Delta has hubs in Atlanta, Cincinnati, New York and Salt Lake City. It is a member of the SkyTeam alliance and flies to 119 international destinations including 32 cities in the European Union... [read full story]