Since Delta proposed acquiring Northwest, several developments have quieted public opposition to the deal. Among the reasons the merger is expected to be approved soon:
1 Delta and Northwest have few overlapping routes, which would make it difficult for the Department of Justice to block the merger.
2 The price of oil hit a record high this year. The tenor in the industry shifted from consolidation to survival as many airlines scaled back to cut costs.
3 Critics of the Delta-Northwest combination expected other mergers to be proposed as a competitive response. But such proposals have not surfaced.
4 Some members of Congress shifted attention from the merger to battling oil speculation.
5 Northwest's pilots union dropped opposition after negotiating a joint contract with Delta pilots that gives raises and equal pay to both groups.
