Aug. 21, 2007: Delta's board names Richard H. Anderson as chief executive succeeding Gerald Grinstein, effective Sept. 1. Anderson was a top executive at United Health but had previously run Northwest Airlines.

Aug. 22: "I do not come here with any merger intentions," Anderson says in a visit to the Atlanta airport.

Aug. 30: Chief Operating Officer Jim Whitehurst, who had been a CEO candidate, leaves Delta.

Oct. 16: Anderson tells analysts a merger "could make sense for Delta if it's done sensibly and from a position of strength." He later says he was restating company position in response to frequent questions and "wasn't trying to kick off anything."

Nov. 14: Reports surface that hedge fund Pardus Capital urged Delta and United to pursue merger, igniting speculation that a worsening industry outlook and falling stock prices could spark consolidation. The airlines denied having talks.

Nov. 15: Anderson, in a congressional hearing, tells inquiring lawmakers: "There are no discussions ... There have been no discussions."

Nov. 29: Delta's top operations executive retires; his replacement is Stephen Gorman, who worked with Anderson at Northwest.

Jan. 9, 2008: With stock prices down sharply in recent weeks and new worries about travel demand and overcapacity, merger talk percolates anew. Delta's pilots' union chairman tells pilots, "Consolidation may indeed be at our door."

Jan. 10: Reports surface that Anderson will seek board approval to pursue formal merger talks with Northwest and United, though no deal may result.

Jan. 15: The Wall Street Journal reports that the board has given Anderson approval to start talks. Delta declines to comment.

Jan. 24: Anderson says consideration of a possible merger is "ongoing" as the airline reports $70 million fourth-quarter loss.

Jan. 26: A source close to merger talks says negotiations have hit a snag over the respective roles of the carriers' chief executives.

Jan. 29: House Transportation Committee Chairman James Oberstar bluntly stated he would vigorously oppose Delta Air Lines if it tries a merger with either Northwest or United airlines.

Feb. 14: A union that represents about 55,000 flight attendants says Delta Air Lines' attendants have filed a petition to hold a union representation election at the carrier for the second time in six years.

Feb. 15: Sources report that a major obstacle has been cleared after airline and union negotiators agreed to rely on a "conceptual" plan to blend the airlines' pilot ranks.

March 14: Anderson tells employees the price of jet fuel, Delta's biggest expense, has risen 85 percent over the past year. "It has had a huge impact on Delta and the airline industry," he says.

March 17: Delta's pilots union declares that talks with its Northwest Airlines counterpart ended without a seniority deal.

March 18: Delta announces it is offering voluntary severance packages to 30,000 employees in hopes of cutting 2,000 jobs. The airline also said it will ground dozens of jets this year.

March 19: Delta Air Lines' pilots union rejects an overture from Northwest Airlines' pilots that might restart the carriers' merger plans. A spokesman for the Delta unit of the Air Line Pilots Association says the union won't go along with the suggestion by the Northwest pilots to go to accelerated arbitration to resolve differences over how to merge the seniority lists of the unions.

March 20: The National Mediation Board notifies Delta and representatives of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA that it has authorized a union representation vote by the airline's roughly 13,000 flight attendants to take place possibly in April.

March 28: Unverified reports suggest Northwest Airlines is trying to revive its proposed merger with Delta —- without as many perks to win support from pilots feuding over seniority. This time around, the airlines also may be less likely to commit to saving redundant jobs and operational hubs because higher fuel costs have dimmed the industry's prospects.

March 30: Open-skies agreement takes effect, opening up access to European and American airports.

March 31: Delta's first direct flight to China since the airline began boarding passengers 79 years ago lands in Shanghai. It is the first direct flight to China from anywhere in the Southeast.

April 3: Delta holds a regular board meeting to possibly discuss resuming its proposed merger deal with Northwest Airlines as the industry battles soaring fuel prices. Northwest raises surcharges and baggage fees in an effort to offset record-high fuel prices.

April 11: Denver-based Frontier Airlines files for Chapter 11 protection.

April 14: Delta Air Lines says it has reached an agreement with Northwest Airlines to take over Northwest and create the world's biggest carrier.