Company Watch - Northwest Airlines.

For more company news, data and analysis, please go to: http://www.airguideonline.com/professional.htm Aug 21, 2006

Northwest Airlines could be in serious trouble from August 25. Already trading in bankruptcy, a US judge has confirmed that he lacked the power to block a threatened strike by flight attendants who oppose a new contract designed to reduce costs. Members of the flight attendants' union have twice rejected agreements negotiated by union leaders. After the second rejection, Northwest, acting on another court authority unilaterally imposed new terms. Travelers to Detroit and Minneapolis from Gatwick should be aware of possible disruptions. NWA is still the fifth largest US carrier, and is also a member of Skyteam. Not withstanding these problems the airline has applied for Detroit - Shanghai route rights and plans to start a daily Boeing 747 service next March. http://www.nwa.com Aug 19, 2006

Northwest Airlines flight attendants, represented by the Assn. of Flight Attendants-CWA, will not be prevented from striking by the US Bankruptcy Court, which yesterday denied a preliminary injunction request from NWA. The union said it could exercise its right to strike as early as the evening of Aug. 25. "While we are disappointed with Judge Gropper's ruling and will appeal it, we remain committed to continuing to serve our customers," NWA President and CEO Doug Steenland said. The airline added that it "has a range of contingency options to respond to any AFA work disruption and it will take all necessary actions to continue to operate its normal flight schedule." Both parties said they were interested in continued negotiations, but AFA Interim Master Executive Council President Mollie Reiley warned that NWA management "needs to reduce their demands and do it in a hurry." The airline wants $195 million in annual concessions from its cabin staff. Aug 18, 2006

Court Can't Block Northwest Attendant Strike. A US judge on Thursday said he lacked the jurisdiction to block a strike by flight attendants at bankrupt Northwest Airlines, a move that clears the way for a work stoppage as early as August 25. Aug 17, 2006

Stress levels increasing for flight attendants. Decades ago, flight attendants sized up passengers as they boarded based on what they thought their needs and wants would be during the flight. Nowadays, attendants may have one of the toughest jobs in the airline industry but many do not want to give up a job that has taken them to all parts of the globe. Because of all the disruptions caused by the tighter regulations, the flight attendants' union decided to hold off on its threat of a work slowdown at Northwest this week. Aug 15, 2006

Northwest Airlines flight attendants announced Friday that the deadline for commencement of targeted unannounced work actions against the carrier was extended to Aug. 25 from Aug. 15 as a result of last week's terrorist threat. "In order to devote our full attention to the immediate security situation and to reduce the stress level for flight attendants until the initial reaction of the security news subsides, we have decided to extend our strike deadline by 10 days," Assn. of Flight Attendants-CWA Interim Master Executive Council President Mollie Reiley said. The union set the Aug. 15 deadline following its rejection of a second tentative labor agreement. Aug 14, 2006

Northwest Airlines said Friday that its operations had "significantly improved" from the day before. It did not have cancellations either day and was "urging customers to check all of their luggage for greater convenience and in an effort to minimize delays." It resumed carriage of unaccompanied minors and pets that was suspended on Aug. 10. Aug 14, 2006