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Delta Air Lines · 2025 report · 12 min

Bankruptcy and mergers

By 2005 Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways had all gone bankrupt, and kept flying the whole time. Then they merged until four airlines carried most US passengers. Here's why, through Delta's own story.

FUELFLIGHTS
Ticket 01 · The guess

How often do airlines go bankrupt?

In 1978 the US government began to stop setting airline fares and routes. In the years after, how many times do you think a US airline filed for bankruptcy, up to 2005?

40
0300
Words to know

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Tell us what looks off. No name or email needed.

What kind of problem?

0 / 1000

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Sources and every number (1)

Sources

  • GAO-05-945, Commercial Aviation: Bankruptcy and Pension Problems Are Symptoms of Underlying Structural Issues (September 2005) · U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2005

Every number

  • 162gao.gov ·2005 · US airline bankruptcy filings from deregulation in 1978 to the report in 2005 (GAO report of September 2005, Highlights).
  • 22gao.gov ·2005 · Of those filings, the number in the five years before the 2005 report (GAO report of September 2005, Highlights).
  • $30Bgao.gov ·2005 · What the US airline industry lost from 2001 to the 2005 report: "over" this much (GAO report of September 2005, Highlights).
  1. Lessons›
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  3. Airlines
  • ·Before this: Why ticket prices change
  • ·Free guide: How airlines make money
Skip to the lesson
Back to the home page and map, from TryOwning · Delta Air Lines · Lesson 4
Part 1 of 3Part 1 of 3, 0 done

Delta Air Lines · 2025 report · 12 min

Bankruptcy and mergers

By 2005 Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways had all gone bankrupt, and kept flying the whole time. Then they merged until four airlines carried most US passengers. Here's why, through Delta's own story.

FUELFLIGHTS
Ticket 01 · The guess

How often do airlines go bankrupt?

In 1978 the US government began to stop setting airline fares and routes. In the years after, how many times do you think a US airline filed for bankruptcy, up to 2005?

40
0300
Words to know

Spot something wrong?

Tell us what looks off. No name or email needed.

What kind of problem?

0 / 1000

We'll also send this page, the lesson, ticket 1, so we can find it. Nothing else. Privacy

·
Sources and every number (1)

Sources

  • GAO-05-945, Commercial Aviation: Bankruptcy and Pension Problems Are Symptoms of Underlying Structural Issues (September 2005) · U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2005

Every number

  • 162gao.gov ·2005 · US airline bankruptcy filings from deregulation in 1978 to the report in 2005 (GAO report of September 2005, Highlights).
  • 22gao.gov ·2005 · Of those filings, the number in the five years before the 2005 report (GAO report of September 2005, Highlights).
  • $30Bgao.gov ·2005 · What the US airline industry lost from 2001 to the 2005 report: "over" this much (GAO report of September 2005, Highlights).
  1. Lessons›
  2. Big companies›
  3. Airlines
  • ·Before this: Why ticket prices change
  • ·Free guide: How airlines make money