Delta Air Lines

1. MetLife Resolves TQP Data Encryption Patent Suit

Friday, Mar 19, 2010

Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. has become the latest defendant to settle in TQP Development LLC's wide-ranging patent infringement battle over online encrypted data transmission.

2. Delta Says Worker's $100M ERISA Claim Not Priority

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010

A former Delta Air Lines Inc. employee's $100 million class claim over alleged mismanagement of the airline's retirement plan arose from a securities purchase and should therefore be subordinated, Delta has argued, firing back at its ex-worker's bankruptcy appeal.

3. TQP Hits New York Mellon, Others Over Data Patent

Thursday, Mar 11, 2010

Patent-holding company TQP Development LLC is suing a host of corporate giants, including The Bank of New York Mellon Corp., Delta Air Lines Inc., Walgreen Co., Target Corp., Time Warner Inc., UBS AG and The Allstate Corp., for allegedly infringing its patent for an encrypted data transmission system.

4. Japan Airlines Snubs Delta, Sticks With American

Tuesday, Feb 09, 2010

Calling a proposed partnership with Delta Air Lines Inc. and SkyTeam too disruptive to its restructuring efforts, Japan Airlines Corp. decided Tuesday to continue its alliance with American Airlines Inc. and Oneworld, and intends to seek antitrust immunity for expanded trans-Pacific operations.

5. Japan Airlines Rebuffs Offer Of Delta Partnership

Monday, Feb 08, 2010

Bankrupt Japan Airlines Corp. has reportedly opted to continue its partnership with American Airlines Inc. and the Oneworld alliance, despite overtures from competitors Delta Air Lines Inc. and SkyTeam.

6. Australia Looks To Reauthorize Qantas, BA Pact

Thursday, Feb 04, 2010

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has tentatively decided to let Qantas Airways Ltd. and British Airways PLC continue their 14-year-old joint service agreement for another five years, saying that it isn't likely to harm competition.

7. 2nd Circ. Ruling Highlights Twombly Trouble

Wednesday, Feb 03, 2010

As courts around the country struggle to interpret the heightened pleading standards for plaintiffs established in the U.S. Supreme Court ruling Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, a recent ruling from a federal appeals court has raised new questions about just what it takes to survive a motion to dismiss an antitrust case.

8. Delta, AirTran Face Consolidated Baggage Fee Suit

Tuesday, Feb 02, 2010

The plaintiffs in multidistrict legislation alleging Delta Air Lines Inc. and AirTran Airways Inc. colluded over baggage fees have filed their first consolidated class action complaint, one of the first major filings since 12 similar cases were grouped together in October.

9. Ex-Delta Worker Appeals Subordination Of ERISA Claim

Wednesday, Jan 27, 2010

A former Delta Air Lines Inc. employee has challenged a bankruptcy judge’s decision to subordinate a $100 million class claim against the airline, contending that claims related to the alleged mismanagement of Delta's retirement savings plan deserve priority treatment.

10. Japan Airlines Lands In Bankruptcy In Japan, US

Tuesday, Jan 19, 2010

Citing $28 billion in debt, Japan Airlines Corp. has filed for bankruptcy, marking the beginning of what is expected to be a lengthy restructuring aided by $10 billion in credit and capital injections from the Japanese government.

11. Google Squashes Inventor's AdWords Patent Suit

Tuesday, Jan 12, 2010

A judge has thrown out a lawsuit against Google Inc. brought by an inventor who claimed the Internet titan's AdWords system infringed his patent, adopting a magistrate judge’s report and recommendation over the plaintiff’s objections.

12. Virgin Chief Slams BA-American Antitrust Immunity Bid

Monday, Jan 11, 2010

The head of Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. urged U.S. regulators Monday to reject British Airways PLC and American Airlines Inc.'s attempt to have their trans-Atlantic Oneworld Alliance declared immune from antitrust laws, saying the partnership would impede competition for London-U.S. flights.

13. Bankruptcy Likely For Japan Airlines Before Tie-Up

Monday, Jan 11, 2010

Japan Airlines Corp. may have to complete a Chapter 11-type restructuring before it can enter into a tie-up with American Airlines Inc. or Delta Air Lines Inc., both of which have been trying for months to negotiate a deal with the carrier.

14. Judge OKs Mesa 1st-Day Motions In Ch. 11 Case

Wednesday, Jan 06, 2010

A judge has given the green light for bankrupt Mesa Air Group Inc. to operate as usual, telling the regional airline that it can continue to pay its employees, honor its obligations to customers and maintain existing bank accounts.

15. Mesa Air Descends Into Ch. 11 Due To Lease Woes

Tuesday, Jan 05, 2010

Troubled regional airline Mesa Air Group Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, saying too many aircraft lease obligations have weighed down the company.

16. Competition Legislation To Watch In 2010

Friday, Jan 01, 2010

While competition experts predict a rise in global antitrust enforcement actions in 2010, they anticipate a relatively quiet year for new competition legislation. Unless, that is, lawmakers succeed in slipping antitrust provisions into health care legislation taking shape in Congress.

17. Australia Approves Virgin, Delta Joint Venture

Friday, Dec 11, 2009

Australian competition authorities have given Virgin Blue Airlines Group and Delta Air Lines Inc. the go-ahead to enter into a joint venture on flights between Australia and the United States.

18. Pilots Seek DOJ Probe Of US Airways-Delta Deal

Monday, Nov 30, 2009

The US Airline Pilots Association is lashing out at a proposed slot transfer deal between US Airways Group Inc. and Delta Airlines Inc., urging federal antitrust authorities to investigate the potential impacts of the transaction.

19. Continental, ExpressJet Fined Over Tarmac Debacle

Tuesday, Nov 24, 2009

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Tuesday levied a civil penalty of $100,000 against Continental Airlines Inc. and ExpressJet Airlines for their roles in causing passengers on Continental Express flight 2816 to remain on board for almost six hours after landing.

20. Majority Rules: Impact of Bankruptcy 'Credit Bid' Rulings

Monday, Nov 09, 2009

Restructuring the obligations of a distressed borrower requires compromise and consensus building; the larger the constituency needed to reach a deal, the greater the risk of holdouts. Courts have sought to mitigate this problem by inferring an intent to act collectively when interpreting loan documents. Three recent cases have illustrated that courts will apply this collective action model of contract interpretation in the credit bidding context, says Paul H. Zumbro of Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP.