MINNEAPOLIS -
Northwest CEO Richard Anderson resigned and was immediately
replaced by Northwest President Doug Steenland, who said he doesn't
expect any dramatic shifts in the direction of the airline.
Steenland, part
of the airline's senior management team since 1991, has been
Northwest's president since 2001 and will continue serving as both
president and CEO.
"We have the
luxury of not having to do or rethink our overall strategic plan,"
Steenland said. "I think we've hit a good balance with respect to
cost-cutting on the one hand and preserving and enhancing customer
service on the other."
Steenland said
reaching an agreement with the pilots' union on a new cost-cutting
contract will remain one of the airline's highest
priorities.
The airline's
long-term target is to obtain $950 million a year in labor-cost
savings from all employee groups, through pay cuts and productivity
increases.
In announcing his
resignation Oct. 1, Anderson, Northwest's CEO since 2001, said he
is leaving to become executive vice president of UnitedHealth Group
Nov. 1. Like Northwest, the health insurance company is based in
Minneapolis.
For the time
being, at least, Anderson will remain on Northwest's board of
directors.
To contact
reporter Andrew Compart, send e-mail to[email protected]