Companies said to be ready to move ahead with plan

The on-again, off-again merger between Delta and Northwest Airlines could be moving back to the front burner, according to widespread media reports, with some observers predicting a formal announcement as soon as this week. Last time around, the deal was only awaiting an agreement between the pilots’ unions at both airlines about merging their seniority lists under a combined carrier, but the pilots couldn’t agree – and Delta had said it wouldn’t move forward without such a pact. But now, the two airlines are reported to be so concerned about the adverse impact of rising fuel costs on their operations that they might decode to go ahead with the merger and worry about the pilots later. The two airlines’ other concern, according to press reports, is getting the merger through the lengthy Justice Department antitrust review as soon as possible, since the Bush Administration is considered less likely to challenge a combination than whoever might take over the White House next year.