Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. are poised to become the world’s largest airline when their planned merger is complete by year’s end. Photo shows (from left) Mike Campbell, executive vice president of Network and revenue management of Delta Air Lines; Richard Anderson, chief executive officer of Delta Air; Doug Steenland, president and chief executive officer of Northwest Airlines; and Edward Bastian, president and chief financial officer of Delta Air, during a news conference in New York, in this file photo. --Bloomberg

ATLANTA—Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp., poised to become the world’s largest carrier, filed for a joint operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)as they prepare to merge by year’s end.

The application and plans for interim operations have been accepted by the FAA and are being processed, Atlanta-based Delta said in a statement.

The plan, which will take effect after the merger closes, outlines the methodology, processes, tools and timing for meshing operations over the next 15 to 18 months, Delta said. Delta has said that president Ed Bastian will be chief executive officer of Northwest from the merger’s closing until the carriers can operate under a single certificate.

The combination of Delta, the third-largest US carrier, and No. 6 Northwest would surpass AMR Corp.’s American as the world’s biggest airline by traffic.

Shareholders of Delta and Northwest are scheduled to vote on the merger on September 25. The combined company will have $35 billion in annual revenue, almost 800 aircraft and 75,000 employees. (Bloomberg)

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