Business Travelers Mixed on Airline Merger

Business travelers weighed in with a variety of opinions about the proposed Delta-Northwest Airlines merger Wednesday, a business group said.

The National Business Travelers Association said 80 percent of its member-respondents in a previous poll had predicted a merger of airlines by 2009, with only 22 percent indicating it would be a positive development.

When asked about the proposed Delta-Northwest merger, 53 percent indicated they felt the new airline would provide a better international route structure. Thirty-five percent indicated the deal would create better domestic routes and 46 percent said it would lead to improved financial security for the two companies.

However, 46 percent indicated they felt the merger would lead to a decline in access to smaller U.S. markets, with only 19 percent indicating improvements in that category. Fifty-four percent indicated the merger would lead to a decline in customer services.