Northwest Airlines has agreed to hire its former chairman, Gary Wilson, who steered the airline through its bankruptcy, as a consultant and pay $2 million to the charity of his choice.
Northwest said in papers filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York that it has agreed to hire Wilson through 2008. Wilson will receive a total payment of $200,000 plus medical and travel benefits.
The airline is asking for court permission to pay $2 million to a charity of Wilson's choice. That payment would replace the $2 million Northwest agreed to pay Wilson when it emerged from bankruptcy last year.
In court papers filed Friday, Northwest said the payment was important "to maintain and preserve the goodwill and positive relationship" between Wilson and Northwest.
A spokeswoman for Northwest could not immediately comment Wednesday about whether Northwest decided to hire Wilson as a result of its merger with Delta Air Lines.
Wilson served as chairman of Northwest's board from April 1997 until last May 31. He also was chairman of the board's restructuring committee during bankruptcy. During the bankruptcy case, he received a salary of $8,000 a year.
DOW JONES NEWS SERVICE
