Northwest Proceeds with Compass Airlines Initiative

With plans to launch a new regional airline called Compass Airlines in June, Northwest Airlines has just asked the government to approve its purchase of Independence Air's operating certificate to facilitate that new operation. Independence Air ceased operations in January. In a U.S. Department of Transportation filing, Northwest said it expects that Compass, which will have a fleet of at least 36 76-seat planes within five years, will help upgrade Northwest's service in small and medium-sized markets by providing connections at Northwest's Minneapolis/St. Paul, Detroit and Memphis hub airports. The changes are a part of Northwest's overall reorganization plan.