By the end of this year, the U.S. could have the biggest airline company in the world. But, if the Delta- Northwest mega-merger is approved, what would that mean for your local airport?

The airport manager at the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport tells us we'll have to wait and see just how the merger affects flights out of smaller cities. But, Charity Speich says it could actually mean more options for local travelers.

Right now it's business as usual at the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport, but you could soon see a very different logo on the planes.

"I would certainly speculate the airport would repaint airplanes and change the signs," says Airport Manager Charity Speich.

But, Speich says she doesn't expect the merger to slow down business at smaller, regional airports.

"It certainly could be a great thing for us,” Speich says.

She says if the merger goes through, Delta would be a global company. That means people flying out of Eau Claire could have more planes and more destinations to pick from.

Bob McCoy is the president of the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce. He says he's excited the merger could lead to more flights heading east. That’s something he says the city has hoped for for years.

"One challenge when you got on a Northwest plane here, you had to go to Minneapolis. Now, you could have a lot more options,” McCoy says. “If they can save costs I think it will be an advantage to business flyers and the traveling public."

But critics say a combined company would eliminate Northwest's headquarters in Minnesota, along with jobs.

“We need to have, whatever we do, the best possibility of success for both airlines, for the sake of both sets of employees. That's what the management should be focused on," NWA Pilots Association Chairman Dave Stevens.
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Until the deal is finalized, Speich says flights will continue as normal and passengers won't see any changes.

The companies still have to sell the deal to shareholders, and federal anti-trust regulators. They say that could take six to eight months.