NATION

William D. Slattery, former head of Braniff and a 16-year employee with TWA, has been hired by Northwest Airlines as executive vice president-operations to head flight, maintenance, cargo and ground handling operations.

Slattery is perhaps best known for getting Braniff Inc. off the ground again in March, 1984, after its bankruptcy court reorganization in 1982. He was president of Braniff for less than a year when he resigned amid speculation that Braniff Chairman Jay Pritzker was undermining his authority.

Slattery’s appointment is the latest in a series of changes designed to bring the airline’s operating functions under a single responsibility after the merger of Northwest and Republic, said Steven Rothmeier, Northwest chairman and chief executive.

The 45-year-old Slattery replaces Benjamin Griggs Jr., who was promoted earlier to executive vice president of NWA Inc., the parent company of Northwest. Slattery will handle the duties of Tom Koors, the executive vice president of customer services who resigned last week, the company said.