Think about it. Delta primarily files in the east and has many flights daily across the Atlantic. Northwest, on the other hand, concentrates operations in the Midwest and has a strong presence in Asia.
If consolidation is going to happen, the two will have to show that they aren’t going to sway the balance of competition in the favor of the new carrier. It’s either that or they will need to show that one or both will fail if they are not allowed to merge.
