More On Midwest

It's a little too early to know just what Midwest's future will be. Obviously, with Northwest as a part-owner, there may be less service to some markets out of Milwaukee.

And I suspect that Midwest's identity will be subsumed, but that would have happened with the AirTran buyout, too.

Milwaukee customers might find better international connections through a NWA partnership, as well.

I wasn't a fan of the AirTran takeover. I thought it was getting a plum brandname for a bargain price: take out the thinly-valued AirTran stock, and the company wasn't putting much cash into the deal.

NWA has lost credibility in the business as its ontime departures and other scheduling problems have become well-known. But its money could help keep Midwest afloat until the next shoe drops.

I'm an optimist.