Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI USA DL FO (until 2/04), NW silver '03, NW gold '04+'05 Plat '06+ (thanks, Leo!), DL SkyClub
Programs: DL Plat/ Million Miler, AS, Hilton, Marriott Bonvoy, Piggly Wiggly Pig Points
Posts: 2,265
Lots of good reasons for NW to buy YX.
First, almost no overlapping routes. NW would have three-fourths market share at MKE. MKE would become a real mini-hub. YX could continue to run pretty much as is -- cookies and all -- and the locals would likely support NW over AirTran (devil you know vs. the one you don't). There's a real win-win incentive here for NW.