business

The glamour of working for an international airline, even behind the scenes, lured Donna Miller to Northwest Airlines more than 25 years ago.

That, combined with the good pay, benefits and collegial co-workers, kept her there.

"It kind of gets in your blood, working for an airline," Miller said.

Now, still surrounded by Northwest memorabilia in her home office -- a piece of the signature red tail from a retired 747, framed pictures of aircraft -- she searches for a new job.

Miller, of Maplewood, is among hundreds of former employees of Northwest's corporate office trying to reinvent themselves after a string of layoffs triggered by Northwest's 2008 merger with Delta.

"I'm trying to rebrand myself," said Miller, whose job tracking pilot training ended in December 2009. "It was the mystique of working for an international airline that always added an extra special spice when people asked you, 'What do you do? Where do you work?' I just regret that I don't have the job anymore."

Delta began cutting its Minnesota staff after the deal was finalized in October 2008. Many employees from departments throughout the former Northwest headquarters knew by early 2009 that their jobs were moving to Atlanta or disappearing. They have waited it out and left in waves.

Before the merger, Delta executives acknowledged that as many as 1,000 Minnesota jobs would be lost. The number shed so far is hard to pin down, but more than 600 employees had responded to a state survey targeting soon-to-be-unemployed employees of the former Northwest as of late March. So far, more than 250 of those have enrolled in a dislocated worker program through Dakota-Scott Workforce Services, which offers workforce training and job-search help.

Federal grant for job help

The state of Minnesota has applied for a $2.6 million federal grant to help cover the costs of the program for up to 613 people.

The number losing jobs could be higher, though; some may not have filled out the survey, and others may have opted for retirement. The airline won't give a hard number, but a spokeswoman said the airline is "comfortably" above a minimum staffing level of 10,000 set in a deal with the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) before the merger. At the end of last year, Delta employed about 13,000 in Minnesota, including those who work for regional affiliates, including Mesaba and Compass airlines.

The layoffs affected departments from human resources and information technology to more industry-specific positions dealing with airline operations.

"There has been a gradual process of moving many of the corporate functions from Minneapolis down to headquarters here in Atlanta," spokeswoman Chris Kelly said.

The agreement with the MAC dictates that Delta maintain a hub and at least 400 flights per day out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport through 2020. Jobs of pilots and flight attendants have been preserved, as were Minnesota-based reservation call centers and pilot training and technology facilities. Delta also moved its headquarters for regional airlines to the Twin Cities.

Of the employees who responded to the state survey, more than half had more than 20 years' experience with the airline. More than three-quarters were 45 or older. They hadn't dusted off their résumés in decades.

Hard to say goodbye

As Northwest's red-tailed airplanes disappeared, so did the jobs of many people who identified with the hometown airline, through its ups and downs, for decades.

"We've had so many huge things happen, with 9/11, bankruptcy, layoffs," said Karen Britton, who was let go in December after a 24-year career that included a stint in Singapore. "It's very isolating for people to think of going to a new company."

That's where the workforce center comes in.

Informations sessions and classes for "pre-merger Northwest Airlines employees" are offered almost every week. There's also an emotional-support group.

Among familiar faces, they work on job search and interview techniques. They take classes to improve computer skills and learn how to use networking tools such as the website LinkedIn. They talk about the challenges of finding new jobs at 50 or older.

Career counselors coach them one-on-one, urging them to explore ways their airline-industry skills can open doors in other places.

Mary Ellen Anderson, who worked in an administrative support role at Northwest's corporate office, found a temporary administrative job at Hamline University.

"This is a good opportunity to get out there and try something new," she said.

But Anderson still gets choked up talking about Northwest. She started there 21 years ago because she wanted to travel. She left feeling like she'd lost some of her family.

"That is really the only place I worked as an adult," Anderson said. "When something's not your choice, it's really hard to deal with."

Katie Humphrey • 952-882-9056