Northwest and Delta pilots to meet next week
by The Associated Press
 
MINNEAPOLIS -- Pilots at Northwest Airlines Corp. say they'll meet with Delta Air Lines Inc. pilots for two days next week to begin working out a joint contract.

The two pilot groups tried but failed to work out their differences before last month, when the two airlines announced their plans to join together.

The pilots failed to put together their seniority lists. Those seniority rankings are important to pilots because it determines who gets desirable planes and schedules.

A hot line message from the Northwest pilot union says the meeting next week will focus on a joint contract, with seniority issues to come later.

Northwest pilots say they oppose the deal with Delta right now because they were left out. Delta pilots support it. The airlines don't need pilot permission to join.