Delta Air Lines announced that it has entered into a proposed marketing agreement with Continental Airlines and Northwest Airlines that will provide customers with a wider array of destinations while maintaining competition among the three carriers.
The marketing agreement includes:

· Codesharing - All three airlines will codeshare on each other's route networks.

· Frequent Flyer Reciprocity - Customers will be able to accrue and redeem awards in any of the three airlines' frequent flyer programs regardless of which program they belong to or on which airline they fly.

· Airport Lounge Reciprocity - Customers will be able to participate in each airline's airport lounge program.

· Convenient Schedule Connections - While the three airlines will continue to schedule their respective flights independently, each will evaluate their schedules to optimize convenient schedule connections between the carriers.

· Coordination of Airport Facilities - Customers will gain the opportunity for seamless ticketing, check-in and baggage handling.

Subject to necessary reviews and approvals from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Delta and Northwest pilot groups and international alliance partners, the marketing agreements will be implemented first in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean, and later on routes in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Leo F. Mullin, Delta chairman and chief executive officer, said the proposal will enable Delta, Continental and Northwest to compete on a more equal footing with United Airlines and US Airways which announced a similar agreement earlier this summer.

"Enormous financial pressures threaten this industry. In recent weeks, some carriers have announced major restructuring, employee cutbacks, even bankruptcy. This proposed agreement represents an important part of our plan to strengthen our competitive position in today's extraordinarily difficult operating environment."

The agreement is not a merger. The carriers will operate independently and compete vigorously, including in the areas of pricing, scheduling, capacity decisions and revenue management. Delta, Continental and Northwest will work with the DOT in an effort to have the review completed by Nov. 1, 2002, and other approvals and negotiations completed by Dec. 5, 2002. If approvals are received in this timely manner, the airlines could begin implementing the agreements as soon as Spring 2003.

Delta Air Lines, the world's second largest carrier in terms of passengers carried, offers 5,898 flights each day to 429 destinations in 76 countries on Delta, Delta Express, Delta Shuttle, Delta Connection and Delta's worldwide partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services.