FRANKFORT, KY – Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear met today with Delta Airlines president and chief financial officer Ed Bastian to discuss the impact of the pending merger of Delta with Northwest Airlines. Earlier this week the two airline giants announced plans to create what the companies termed “America’s Premier Global Airline.”

With the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky airport as one of Delta’s busiest regional hubs, Gov. Beshear asked to meet with Delta officials to gain assurances that the labor force and level of service would not be impacted.

“I received some very good news. Delta is committed to maintaining this hub at the airport in Northern Kentucky,” said Gov. Beshear. “Not only maintaining it, but they emphasized that it was a very important part of their plans for the future. Most importantly, they assured me there would be no reduction in front line employees.”

The governor also was told by Bastian that the new Delta Airlines foresees no significant reduction of service at the Northern Kentucky airport. And Comair, the regional jet serviced based at the airport, will remain an important part of the new Delta business strategy, either as a wholly-owned subsidiary as it is today, or as a contracted regional carrier operated by another company.

“Obviously, when you are dealing with a volatile industry such as the airline industry, which is greatly impacted by fuel costs and economic conditions generally, you have to be cautious in your optimism,” said Gov. Beshear. “But, I feel good about the commitments that Delta is making to the commonwealth of Kentucky and to the airport in Northern Kentucky.”

Delta Air Lines and Comair’s annual operational economic impact on the commonwealth is projected to be nearly $1 billion. The company’s annual state and local tax benefit to Kentucky is approximately $116 million. Delta employs approximately 1,200 workers at the hub, while Comair has a workforce of about 5,000. Currently, Delta serves 117 domestic destinations and seven international destinations from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky facility.

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