For a few weeks now, Delta Air Lines, the third-largest U.S. airline by traffic, and Northwest Airlines, the fifth largest, have been in talks to combine. The combination would create a new leader in U.S. air traffic and hopefully give the combined company significant synergies and economies of scale.
The negotiations have hit a bit of a snag though, as pilots have been unable to come to an agreement about how the seniority list of the new company would look. According to The Wall Street Journal, this list dictates everything from how much the pilots are paid, to what kinds of planes they fly and when they get time off. Though the hitch could be resolved, The Journal cited unnamed sources as saying the deal could be called off if an agreement isn't reached soon.
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