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The Memphis operations of Northwest Airlines were on the brink of closing in 1993, living the blues in a dearth of profits and passengers.
Northwest's planes were flying 40 percent empty and the airline was attracting just 8,000 passengers a day. To support its large payroll, the Memphis hub needed more business, said John Moore, Northwest's regional vice president in Memphis for state and local affairs.
On Monday, in recognition of a turnaround worthy of a Beale Street parade, Richard Anderson, Northwest's executive vice president and chief operating officer, went to Memphis to announce a 25 percent expansion in service at the carrier's mid-South home. He was met by Tennessee Gov. Don Sundquist and the mayors of Shelby County and the city of Memphis.
"It's something we've waited for quite some time," said Larry Cox, president and CEO of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority. "This, we believe, will have an impact on our community, including economic development."
Beginning in June, Northwest will add 45 daily flights, or a total of 90 daily takeoffs and landings in Memphis. Currently, Northwest operates 130 daily flights in the community of about 1 million people.
By late summer, as...