Northwest Airlines, in a drive to upgrade its service and match rival carriers that offer first-class service on feeder flights, said it placed orders for 72 large regional aircraft, the Wall Street Journal reports. The aircraft should take the place of smaller jets now operated by two regional partners. The nation's fourth-largest airline by traffic said it placed firm orders for 36 of Bombardier Inc.'s Canadair 900 planes and 36 Embraer 175 aircraft from Brazil's Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica SA.
