• April 5, 2007
  Compass Airlines Receives FAA Certification

Compass Airlines Receives FAA Certification

CHANTILLY, Va. – (April 5, 2007) – Compass Airlines today announced that it has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification to begin commercial passenger operations using a 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 jet aircraft.

Based in Chantilly, Va., Compass will operate as a Northwest Airlink partner airline, serving communities in the Heartland of the U.S. and beyond from Northwest Airline’s Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Memphis hubs.

“This is an exciting day for everyone at Compass Airlines,” said Neal Cohen, Compass chairman and chief executive officer, and Northwest Airlines executive vice president and chief financial officer. “The Compass team has worked extremely hard to reach this milestone and we look forward to starting passenger operations in the very near future.”

Compass has also received the necessary Department of Transportation approvals for commercial passenger service.

The regional airline expects to begin operations in May using a 50-seat CRJ200 regional jet aircraft between Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) and Dulles International Airport (IAD), near Washington, DC.

During the third quarter of 2007, Compass expects to launch service utilizing the first of 36 Embraer 175 aircraft that Northwest ordered for Compass last year. The Embraer 175 will accommodate 76 passengers in a dual class configuration, with 12 seats in first class and 64 seats in coach class.  Compass expects to operate a fleet of 10 Embraer 175 aircraft by the end of 2007, and 36 aircraft by the end of 2008.

“The Embraer 175 is a modern aircraft that will offer customers a comfortable and efficient flight experience,” said John Bendoraitis, Compass executive vice president and chief operating officer. “The features of these aircraft, including dual class service, will provide customers with best in class cabin comfort.”

Compass Airlines is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northwest Airlines Corporation (OTC: NWACQ.PK). For more information, please visit Compass Airlines’ Web site at www.compassairline.com.

For more information pertaining to Compass, media inquiries can be directed to Compass / Delta Connection Corporate Communications at 612-726-8801 or to Delta’s Web site at www.delta.com.

• April 5, 2007
  Compass Airlines Receives FAA Certification

Compass Airlines Receives FAA Certification

CHANTILLY, Va. – (April 5, 2007) – Compass Airlines today announced that it has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification to begin commercial passenger operations using a 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 jet aircraft.

Based in Chantilly, Va., Compass will operate as a Northwest Airlink partner airline, serving communities in the Heartland of the U.S. and beyond from Northwest Airline’s Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Memphis hubs.

“This is an exciting day for everyone at Compass Airlines,” said Neal Cohen, Compass chairman and chief executive officer, and Northwest Airlines executive vice president and chief financial officer. “The Compass team has worked extremely hard to reach this milestone and we look forward to starting passenger operations in the very near future.”

Compass has also received the necessary Department of Transportation approvals for commercial passenger service.

The regional airline expects to begin operations in May using a 50-seat CRJ200 regional jet aircraft between Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) and Dulles International Airport (IAD), near Washington, DC.

During the third quarter of 2007, Compass expects to launch service utilizing the first of 36 Embraer 175 aircraft that Northwest ordered for Compass last year. The Embraer 175 will accommodate 76 passengers in a dual class configuration, with 12 seats in first class and 64 seats in coach class.  Compass expects to operate a fleet of 10 Embraer 175 aircraft by the end of 2007, and 36 aircraft by the end of 2008.

“The Embraer 175 is a modern aircraft that will offer customers a comfortable and efficient flight experience,” said John Bendoraitis, Compass executive vice president and chief operating officer. “The features of these aircraft, including dual class service, will provide customers with best in class cabin comfort.”

Compass Airlines is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northwest Airlines Corporation (OTC: NWACQ.PK). For more information, please visit Compass Airlines’ Web site at www.compassairline.com.

For more information pertaining to Compass, media inquiries can be directed to Compass / Delta Connection Corporate Communications at 612-726-8801 or to Delta’s Web site at www.delta.com.

• 2007 Archives
• 2006 Archives

• May 03, 2007
  NWA's New Compass Airlines Takes Off.

• May 02, 2007
  Compass Airlines Completes First Revenue Flight

• April 05, 2007
  Compass Airlines Receives FAA Certification

• Mar 03, 2007
  Northwest's Regional Carrier Compass Airlines Plans Hires.

• Mar 30, 2006
  NWA Plans June Start For Carrier.

NWA Plans June Start For Carrier

In two months, Northwest Airlines wants to launch its new subsidiary, a commuter carrier called Compass Airlines, to fly passengers to its hubs — Detroit, Minneapolis and Memphis — and a network of small and midsize cities.

Compass' inaugural route will fly passengers between Minneapolis and Washington in June, with plans for further expansion starting in March 2007, according to documents filed this week with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

As a commuter carrier, Compass stands to have a major presence at Detroit Metro Airport, where Northwest's current commuter carriers, Mesaba Airlines and Pinnacle Airlines, handle about 225 daily flights, or 44% of Northwest's 510 flights a day there.

Northwest's Regional Carrier Compass Airlines Plans Hires

Compass Airlines, Northwest Airlines' new regional carrier, has ramped up its hiring, a sign that the carrier is closer to starting its operations.The Northwest subsidiary is hiring flight attendants and employees to staff its headquarters in Chantilly, Va., near its hub at Washington Dulles International Airport.

By the end of the year, Compass plans to employ more than 300 people, including 120 pilots and flight attendants, said Northwest spokesman Roman Blahoski. According to the carrier's Web site, the company is also looking for people to fill behind-the-scenes positions for supervisors, quality control and maintenance.

Compass is still working on getting approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration and hasn't announced a specific date to start flying. But Blahoski said the commuter expects to launch its first flights in the spring.

At first, Compass will fly a 50-seat jet between Minneapolis and Washington, D.C., twice a day. Between July and September Compass plans to start flying new 76-seat Embraer 175 jets. By the end of the year, the commuter expects to fly 10 of those jets.

Compass eventually will fly to Northwest's three hubs, including Detroit Metro Airport.

NWA's New Compass Airlines Takes Off

Northwest's newly created Compass Airlines subsidiary officially got off the ground Wednesday. "Compass … Flight 2002 left Washington's Dulles International Airport with 43 passengers and landed in Minneapolis on Wednesday morning. It arrived two minutes early," The Associated writes. Compass is starting out by flying 50-seat CRJ regional jets. But the Minneapolis Star Tribune (free registration) writes that "by the end of 2008, Compass will operate 36 Embraer jets. The 50-seat CRJ, now being flown by Compass, will be transferred to Mesaba Airlines later this year." Compass will have its first 10 76-seat Embraer 175 jets by the end of this year, airline officials say.

Compass Airlines Receives FAA Certification

CHANTILLY, Va. – (April 5, 2007) – Compass Airlines t oday announced that it has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification to begin commercial passenger operations using a 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 jet aircraft.

Based in Chantilly, Va., Compass will operate as a Northwest Airlink partner airline, serving communities in the Heartland of the U.S. and beyond from Northwest Airline’s Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Memphis hubs.

“This is an exciting day for everyone at Compass Airlines,” said Neal Cohen, Compass chairman and chief executive officer, and Northwest Airlines executive vice president and chief financial officer. “The Compass team has worked extremely hard to reach this milestone and we look forward to starting passenger operations in the very near future.”

Compass has also received the necessary Department of Transportation approvals for commercial passenger service.

The regional airline expects to begin operations in May using a 50-seat CRJ200 regional jet aircraft between Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) and Dulles International Airport (IAD), near Washington, DC.

During the third quarter of 2007, Compass expects to launch service utilizing the first of 36 Embraer 175 aircraft that Northwest ordered for Compass last year. The Embraer 175 will accommodate 76 passengers in a dual class configuration, with 12 seats in first class and 64 seats in coach class.  Compass expects to operate a fleet of 10 Embraer 175 aircraft by the end of 2007, and 36 aircraft by the end of 2008.

“The Embraer 175 is a modern aircraft that will offer customers a comfortable and efficient flight experience,” said John Bendoraitis, Compass executive vice president and chief operating officer. “The features of these aircraft, including dual class service, will provide customers with best in class cabin comfort.”

Compass Airlines is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northwest Airlines Corporation (OTC: NWACQ.PK). For more information, please visit Compass Airlines’ Web site at www.compassairline.com.

For more information pertaining to Compass, media inquiries can be directed to Compass / Delta Connection Corporate Communications at 612-726-8801 or to Delta’s Web site at www.delta.com.

Compass Airlines Completes First Revenue Flight

CHANTILLY, Va. – (May 2, 2007) – Compass Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northwest Airlines operating under the Northwest Airlink banner, today completed its first revenue flight.

Flight 2002, operated with a Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jet aircraft, departed Dulles International Airport (IAD), near Washington, D.C., at 6:37 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time with 43 passengers and a crew of three. Flight 2002 arrived at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP) two minutes early at 8:13 a.m. Central Daylight Time.

“Today’s launch of scheduled air service is a very proud day for all employees of Compass Airlines,” said John Bendoraitis, president. “For more than a year, the entire Compass team diligently prepared for this day. We welcome customers aboard Compass Airlines and look forward to continuing to expand our operations in the near future.”

Compass will initially operate a 50-seat CRJ-200 regional jet aircraft with twice-daily round trip service between Washington and Minneapolis/St. Paul.

As previously announced, during the third quarter of 2007, Compass expects to operate the first of 36 Embraer EMB-175 regional jet aircraft. The EMB-175 will accommodate 76 passengers in a dual class configuration, with 12 seats in first class and 64 seats in coach class. Compass plans to operate a fleet of 10 EMB-175 aircraft by the end of 2007, and 36 aircraft by the end of 2008.

“The Embraer 175 is a modern dual class regional jet aircraft that will provide customers with best in class cabin comfort,” Bendoraitis said. “Compass Airlines looks forward to adding the Embraer 175 to the Compass fleet and expanding operations as a Northwest Airlink partner airline.”

Based in Chantilly, Va., Compass Airlines is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northwest Airlines Corporation (OTC: NWACQ.PK). Compass currently operates a Bombardier CRJ200 regional jet aircraft as a Northwest Airlink partner airline. For more information, please visit Compass Airlines’ Web site at www.compassairline.com.

Compass Airlines Announces New President

CHANTILLY, Va. - (Nov 18, 2008) - Compass Airlines today named Tim Campbell as the new President of Compass Airlines. Campbell comes from Northwest Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, as the Vice President of Regional Airline Operations and replaces John Bendoraitis, who assumes the same position at Comair.

"Tim Campbell has a long history in the industry and has been integral in Compass' success from inception to its current industry position," said Don Bornhorst, senior vice president, Delta Connection. "Tim possesses the skill set and experience to help Compass build on these successes and I look forward to working with him in his new role."

Campbell joined Northwest Airlines in 1995 as a financial analyst and held a variety of operational positions before being named Vice President of Flight Operations/Systems Operations Control (SOC) Administration in September 2003. He most recently served as Vice President of Regional Airline Operations since October 2007.

"I am excited for this opportunity and honored to lead the great people on the Compass team," said Campbell. "Together we will continue to provide our customers with the safe, competitive and high quality service they've come to appreciate."

Prior to joining Northwest Airlines, Campbell worked for the Boeing Company in Seattle in the Aerodynamics Engineering department. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Seattle University. Campbell actively serves on the board for non-profit organization, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.

Based in Chantilly, Va., Compass Airlines is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines Corporation (NYSE: DAL) and operates as a Delta Connection partner. Compass currently operates EMB-175 aircraft and offers over 160 scheduled flights daily to over 40 domestic and international destinations.

Media inquiries can be directed to Compass / Delta Connection Corporate Communications at 612-726-8801.