note
One of the oldest continuing operating airlines in the USA. NWA started operations in October 1926 as Northwest Airways using Curtiss Oriole aircraft. In September 1928 Northwest introduced first all metal airliner in US - the Hamilton H-45 which was produced in Milwaukee Wisconsin. The airliner was first in the world with toilet and heating in the passenger cabin. The type was used on Northwest's first international service inaugurated in 1931 to Winnipeg. In February 1934 US Postal Service cancelled all Contract Air Mail routes due to the widespread fraud. Although Northwest Airways was not implicated, it had to reorganize and changed its name to Northwest Airlines because no airline that had previously been awarded a Contract Air Mail route was allowed to reapply. In 1947 service to the Far East commenced through the Great Circle Route over the pole using DC-4s. Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai and Manila were served. Northwest added word Orient to its name. First Boeing 377 Stratocruiser joined the fleet in June 1949 and was used on airline's Honolulu route. First turboprop was Lockheed Electra delivered in July 1959. This was followed in May 1960 with delivery of its first jet, a Douglas DC-8. Northwest became first user of the type across the Pacific. Airline's first wide-body jets Boeing 747s and Douglas DC-10s joined the fleet in 1970. Beside Northwest traditional hubs at Seattle and Minneapolis, airline also created a hub in Tokyo from where it served its Far Eastern network stretching as far as Singapore and Bangkok. Northwest also developed niche market in Europe, providing service to Scandinavia, Amsterdam, Shannon, Glasgow, Hamburg and London. In 1986 airline acquired Republic Airlines, its major competitor in Minneapolis and Detroit markets. Through this acquisition new hub at Memphis was established and airline gained comprehensive domestic network. Northwest was first North American operator to order Airbus A320 aircraft. First joined the fleet in June 1989. Again, in 2003 Northwest became first North American airline to operate long-range Airbus A330. Northwest never ordered the venerable Douglas DC-9, but became world's largest operator of the type long after other major carriers discontinued them from their fleets. Most were acquired during merger with Republic, but Northwest also purchased some from defunct Eastern and others from European carriers. In the 1990s, Northwest and KLM formed alliance which lasted until KLM became part of Air France/KLM group in 2003. Northwest was acquired by Delta Air Lines on October 29, 2008, and on December 31, 2009 the two corporate entities merged. The airlines operationally merged on February 1, 2010; the last Northwest flight landed in Amsterdam as NWA248 from Detroit on February 1 2010.
founded - demised (age)
August 1 1926 - February 1 2010 (84)
headquarters
5101 Northwest Dr. MN 55111, St Paul
web
base airports
related operators
current /stored fleet (0)
