A Minneapolis publishing company announced today that it has been selected to produce Sky, the in-flight magazine for the newly merged Delta and Northwest Airlines.

The agreement between MSP Communications and Delta, now the world's largest airline, means more than $50 million for the Twin Cities area economy over the next five years and creation of at least 25 jobs, MSP said in a news release.

MSP Communications and Delta will reveal the magazine's concept in various locations around the country in mid-January, with the first issue appearing on planes in April. Delta, its Northwest subsidiary and Delta Connection carriers serve 170 million passengers a year.

Additional Minnesota businesses that will benefit from this long-term contract include Brown Printing of Waseca, which will print the magazine, and UPM-Blandin paper mill of Grand Rapids, which will provide the magazine's paper.

"The selection of MSP Communications reinforces our commitment to making sure that the airline merger has a positive impact on the state of Minnesota," said Tammy Lee Stanoch, vice president of corporate affairs for Delta.

Vance Opperman, CEO and owner, MSP Communications, said, "We are honored to be selected by Delta to accomplish the task of reinventing Sky and making it a premier publication that will compete with some of the most well-known business and lifestyle magazines in the industry."

MSP Communications has published more than 135 consumer, business-to-business and custom publications, supplements and websites since 1978. MSP produces Minneapolis St. Paul magazine, Twin Cities Business, and publications, e-newsletters and online content for trade associations and Fortune 250 companies including IBM, the Minnesota Twins and others.

Delta operates hubs in Minneapolis-St. Paul, its headquarters city of Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, New York-JFK, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. It acquired Northwest on Oct. 29 and is in the process of integrating the two carriers' operations.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482