Paulding County Regional Airport Becomes First Airport to Open in Georgia in Three Decades

The Paulding County Regional Airport officially opened November 14, becoming the first airport to open in Georgia in 33 years.

“Companies far and wide can now look to Paulding County for operations that require the connectivity and direct access this new airport will provide,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “This has truly been a team effort, from our elected officials in Washington, our federal agency partners and state and local leaders who all committed to working together to see this project complete.”

Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson was joined by U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, Congressman Phil Gingrey and local officials to celebrate the opening. Governor Perdue was scheduled to be there but his return to Georgia from the Republican Governors' Association meeting in Miami was delayed by weather.

“Today is a great day for Paulding County as we formally open the Paulding County Regional Airport,” said Speaker Richardson. “I am thrilled to see this new facility build on the growth that our county has already experienced. It will only help this area continue its positive momentum by bringing in more quality jobs that our citizens deserve. The construction of this airport would not have been possible without the hard work of our local, state and federal partners coupled with the expertise of the private sector-to those groups we owe special thanks.”

The Paulding County Regional Airport (PUJ) is the first jet-capable airport to be built in Georgia in over 30 years and its design provides a foundation for the future of aviation and commerce in Paulding County. Named by the United States Department of Commerce as winner of the 2007 “Excellence for Innovation in Economic Development” award, the airport is the centerpiece of a 10,000 acre pod system designed to enhance commerce and industry in the region.

“I commend everyone who has been involved in making the Paulding County Regional Airport a reality,” said Senator Chambliss. “The completion of this airport, as well as the work that has gone into the nearby industrial park, will provide a great economic engine for Paulding County and the surrounding communities. I’m honored to join my friends for this Grand Opening Ceremony.”

Over the last two years, the state has contributed over $3 million dollars to Paulding County for this project through the Airport Aid program at the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). A contract was recently signed with Paulding County to provide state funds for 75 percent of the cost for the construction of the taxiway and apron and for the installation of navigation aids. GDOT has considered the Paulding County project to be one of the highest priority projects in its statewide system, and has recognized the need to build it for more than 20 years.

“Today marks a great victory for Paulding County and all of Northwest Georgia. Paulding County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation, and the addition of this airport will only make the area more attractive to prospective businesses and families looking to invest in a community.” said Congressman Gingrey. “I am proud to have worked alongside Governor Perdue, Senators Chambliss and Isakson, as well as Chairman Shearin, the Paulding County Commission and the Airport Authority to make this airport a reality. The airport, combined with an adjacent business and technology park, will bring good-paying jobs to the community especially needed in this time of economic difficulty and uncertainty.”

“The Paulding County Airport is perfectly situated to meet the pent-up demand for air traffic infrastructure in metro Atlanta.” said Congressman Lynn Westmoreland. “As the only Georgian on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and a member of the Aviation Subcommittee, I have worked for several years along with Congressman Phil Gingrey to steer the course for this airport on the federal level. I've taken a personal interest in this project even though it’s outside my district because our region is increasingly interdependent and the Paulding County Airport will have a positive impact on all of metro Atlanta. I congratulate Paulding County on this special day, which is the result of many of years of vision and hard work by local leaders.”


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Machinists Union to Protest Merger at Northwest/Delta Shareholder Meetings

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) will demonstrate in opposition to the proposed Northwest Airlines/Delta Air Lines merger at shareholder meetings in New York and Atlanta.

Northwest Airlines Shareholder Meeting Protest
September 25, 2008
8:30 am-11:30 am
AXA Equitable Center Auditorium
787 Seventh Ave, New York, NY 10019

-and-

Delta Air Lines Shareholder Meeting Protest
September 25, 2008
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
2000 Convention Center Concourse
College Park, GA 30337


"This merger would eliminate jobs, reduce service and create a single mega-carrier that could lead to the combined entity's bankruptcy," said IAM Transportation Vice President Robert Roach, Jr.

The Machinists Union is the largest airline union in North America. The IAM represents 12,500 Northwest Airlines Ramp Service, Customer Service, Reservation, Stockroom, Office & Clerical, Flight Simulate Technician and Plant Protection employees. More information about the machinists Union and the proposed Northwest/Delta merger is available at www.goiam.org/mergers.

New York Event Contact: Joseph Tiberi, IAMAW
202-974-8250 (office)
301-529-9341 (cell)
Georgia Event Contact: Gary Mobley, IAMAW
404-208-8807 (office)
612-432-6067 (cell)

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Delta Air Lines’ Board of Directors Announces Date of Special Meeting for Stockholder Vote on Merger with Northwest Airlines

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) will hold a special meeting of stockholders on Sept. 25, 2008 in Atlanta for stockholders to vote on the issuance of Delta common stock to Northwest stockholders in the merger of the airlines and on an amendment to the Delta 2007 Performance Compensation Plan, a broad-based employee compensation program. The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. EDT at the Georgia International Convention Center located at 2000 Convention Center Concourse, College Park, Ga. 30337.

The record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the special meeting will be the close of business on July 29, 2008.

Delta in April announced that it is combining with Northwest in an all-stock transaction to create America’s premier global airline. The new company will be called Delta and will be headquartered in Atlanta. Combined, the company and its regional partners will provide customers access to more than 390 destinations in 67 countries. Together, Delta and Northwest will have more than $35 billion in aggregate annual revenues, operate a mainline fleet of nearly 800 aircraft, employ approximately 75,000 people worldwide, and have one of the strongest balance sheets in the industry. The merger is subject to the approval of Delta and Northwest stockholders and regulatory approvals, which are targeted for completion later this year.

Delta Air Lines operates service to more worldwide destinations than any airline with Delta and Delta Connection flights to 327 destinations in 62 countries. Delta has added more international capacity than any major U.S. airline during the last two years and is the leader across the Atlantic with flights to 44 trans-Atlantic markets. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers 609 weekly flights to 62 destinations. Delta's marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on more than 16,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Including its SkyTeam and worldwide codeshare partners, Delta offers flights to 499 worldwide destinations in 105 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “expect,’ “estimate,” “project,” “budget,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “believes,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, Delta's and Northwest’s expectations with respect to the synergies, costs and charges, capitalization and anticipated financial impacts of the merger transaction and related transactions; approval of the merger transaction and related transactions by stockholders; the satisfaction of the closing conditions to the merger transaction and related transactions; and the timing of the completion of the merger transaction and related transactions.

These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside our control and difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to, the possibility that the expected synergies will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period, due to, among other things, (1) the airline pricing environment; (2) competitive actions taken by other airlines; (3) general economic conditions; (4) changes in jet fuel prices; (5) actions taken or conditions imposed by the United States and foreign governments; (6) the willingness of customers to travel; (7) difficulties in integrating the operations of the two airlines; (8) the impact of labor relations; and (9) fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. Other factors include the possibility that the merger does not close, including due to the failure to receive required stockholder or regulatory approvals, or the failure of other closing conditions.

Delta cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors is contained in Delta’s and Northwest’s most recently filed Forms 10-K. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning Delta, Northwest, the merger, the related transactions or other matters and attributable to Delta or Northwest or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Delta and Northwest do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, relating to the matters discussed in this news release.

Additional Information About the Merger and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed merger, Delta filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that includes a preliminary joint proxy statement of Delta and Northwest that also constitutes a prospectus of Delta. At the appropriate time, Delta and Northwest will mail the final joint proxy statement/prospectus to their stockholders. Delta and Northwest urge investors and security holders to read the final joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed merger when it becomes available because it will contain important information. You may obtain copies of all documents filed with the SEC regarding this transaction, free of charge, at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov/). You may also obtain these documents, free of charge, from Delta’s website (http://www.delta.com/) under the tab “About Delta” and then under the heading “Investor Relations” and then under the item “SEC Filings.” You may also obtain these documents, free of charge, from Northwest’s website (http://www.nwa.com/) under the tab “About Northwest” and then under the heading “Investor Relations” and then under the item “SEC Filings and Section 16 Filings.”

Delta, Northwest and their respective directors, executive officers and certain other members of management and employees may be soliciting proxies from Delta and Northwest stockholders in favor of the merger. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of Delta and Northwest stockholders in connection with the proposed merger will be set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus when it is filed with the SEC. You can find information about Delta’s executive officers and directors in its definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on April 25, 2008 related to Delta’s 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. You can find information about Northwest’s executive officers and directors in its Amendment to its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 29, 2008. You can obtain free copies of these documents from Delta and Northwest using the contact information above.