Delta Makes an Official Bid for Major Assets of Pan Am

Delta Air Lines said Friday that it offered to buy parts of Pan American World Airways, including its Northeast shuttle, transatlantic routes and 45 jets.

Delta did not place a value on the offer for what it called about one-fifth of Pan Am’s routes. The deal could preserve 6,000 Pan Am jobs, Delta said.

The Atlanta-based carrier outlined the offer in a meeting with Pan Am aides Wednesday, Delta spokesman Bill Berry said. More discussions were planned, but no date was set.

New York-based Pan Am is a financially weak airline that helped pioneer international air travel in the 1920s and once dominated the industry worldwide.

Intense competition and high costs forced Pan Am into bankruptcy court.

Pan Am spokesman Jeffrey Kriendler confirmed Friday that Delta made an offer Wednesday, but declined further comment.

Delta said in a brief statement that its proposal included purchase of the Pan Am Shuttle, an hourly service connecting Boston, New York and Washington; Pan Am’s transatlantic routes, Frankfurt hub and other unidentified facilities.

The proposal also involves up to 45 Pan Am planes including 21 Airbus A-310s and 24 Boeing 727s, and possible offers of employment to up to 6,000 Pan Am personnel.

Pan Am has a 150-plane fleet and 24,000 employees.