Delta Seen Filing Wed., Northwest on Brink of Bankruptcy

NEW YORK – Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) is expected to seek bankruptcy protection on Wednesday, a source familiar with the situation said, as rival Northwest Airlines Corp. (NWAC) considers doing the same.

The source said that the company would file for protection after the market close on Wednesday, but did not say when the decision was made.

Delta would become the third major U.S. airline operating under court protection, dramatizing the industry's struggle with soaring oil and competition from low-cost carriers.

The sector's woes went from bad to worse this month as refinery outages caused by Hurricane Katrina (search) sent jet fuel prices spiking. U.S. airlines are expected to post some $10 billion in losses this year.

Atlanta-based Delta's woes have been compounded by a crushing debt load of more than $20 billion and one of the industry's biggest underfunded pension burdens.

Founded in 1928, Delta became a top international player by taking over many routes from defunct Pan Am in 1991. It has faced an uphill battle to recovery after getting hammered by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the slowdown in flying that followed.

"Delta is overleveraged and they weren't going to stay out of bankruptcy, no way," said Ray Neidl, an analyst at Calyon Securities.

The airline, which has warned for several months that bankruptcy was a possibility, declined to comment on the timing of any filing.

Northwest's planned board meeting, disclosed by its pilots union Tuesday, will consider whether the airline should file for Chapter 11 or try to restructure outside of bankruptcy.

Northwest's woes are focused on high labor costs, which it is trying to slash by $1.1 billion.

Analysts said Northwest, which hired replacement workers to substitute for mechanics and cleaners who struck last month, could be using the threat of bankruptcy to get concessions that unions have been reluctant to grant at the bargaining table.

"There's a good chance (of a Northwest filing)," Neidl said, adding: "It depends on who wins that debate" at Wednesday's board meeting.

Both airlines would likely use bankruptcy to slash labor and pension costs, following in the footsteps of No. 2 U.S. carrier United Airlines (search), the main unit of UAL Corp (search).

The bankruptcies could put added pressure on other carriers including AMR Corp., parent of American Airlines (search), by putting them at a competitive disadvantage as their bankrupt rivals shed costs and ditch pensions, analysts said.

On the other hand, other airlines would benefit if Delta and others cut back on domestic routes, getting rid of overcapacity which has made the U.S. airline sector the most troubled worldwide.

Credit rating firm Standard & Poor's said on Wednesday that Northwest's failure to make $42 million in payments due on Tuesday made a bankruptcy filing likely, adding that it was probable as soon as Wednesday.

Adding to pressure on the Eagan, Minnesota-based carrier, Northwest would face a lien against its assets if it missed a $65 million pension payment due on Thursday, S&P said — unless the airline sought court protection.

United and US Airways Group Inc. (search) are both already operating in bankruptcy, though both are hoping to emerge soon — US Airways with the help of a group of investors led by America West Holdings Corp.

Additional bankruptcy filings could pave the way for additional mergers and acquisitions in the sector, Merrill Lynch & Co. analyst Michael Linenberg said in a report.

On Wednesday, Northwest shares, which were hammered Tuesday on expectation of a bankruptcy filing, closed up 30 cents, or 19.1 percent, to $1.87 in busy trading on Nasdaq. Delta shares closed down 7 cents, or 9 percent, at 71 cents on the New York Stock Exchange.

Northwest's stock has plunged 86 percent so far this year, while Delta has lost 90 percent of its value.

On the debt markets, Northwest's 10 percent notes due in 2009 rose to 26 cents on the dollar, about 2-1/2 cents higher on the day, after tumbling more than 9 cents on Tuesday, according to MarketAxess.

Delta's 8.3 percent bonds due 2029 rose to 16 cents on the dollar, about 0.5 cent higher on the day, according to MarketAxess. They are still about 3/4-cent lower month-to-date.