Northwest Airlines aims to launch a regional subsidiary in June from the remnants of defunct low-cost carrier Independence Air, writes Darren Shannon.

The new carrier, which was incorporated as Northwest Airlines Cargo until it was renamed last month as Compass Airlines, will initially use the failed low-cost carrier’s Washington Dulles base, several of its top executives, and one of its Bombardier CRJ200s for almost a year until the new unit can evolve into the 76-seater operator that is a key part of Northwest’s court-protected reorganisation from bankruptcy.

Northwest says the larger aircraft will be either a Bombardier CRJ900 or Embraer 175 and it is in negotiations with both manufacturers.

Source: Flight International