The airlines are driving the bill. Everyone understands the urgency.

There is no harm to the citizens of Minnesota or the MAC (Metropolitan Airports Commission). There are a number of issues Northwest is dealing with in bankruptcy and this is one of them.

We are truly surprised and disappointed by the DOT's actions. The decision is inconsistent with all of the DOT's prior decisions wherein they have consistently granted ATI to other global alliances, especially when, as here, the proposal is pro-competitive and will greatly benefit consumers.

This is the hardest I have ever worked in trying to ask the government to let Northwest pay. All we're trying to do is pay what we owe currently $3.8 billion, as opposed to terminating and dumping the liability on the government. And in order to be allowed to pay, I have had to hire a number of people to help me explain.

She started laughing at me. She said lobbyists have whole careers and never pass anything and, do you know how hard it is to get something like this done? That's when I started feeling the pressure.

The decision is inconsistent with all of the (agency's) prior decisions wherein they have consistently granted antitrust immunity to other global alliances, especially when, as here, the proposal is pro-competitive and will greatly benefit consumers.