With no more congressional reviews planned, conventional wisdom holds that the proposed merger of Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines will be completed this year without additional political objections.

''We believe that Congress saw that antitrust [violations] would not be a significant concern,'' Delta spokeswoman Chris Kelly said.

Politics is not supposed to play a role because attorneys at the Justice Department review a merger for possible antitrust violations. That department alone has the power to block a deal. But elected lawmakers can play an indirect role in the review process by whipping up popular sentiment against deals that might limit competition.

House and Senate hearings in April and May, shortly after the deal was announced, failed to create a firestorm of protests, leaving the Delta-Northwest merger seemingly cleared for takeoff. Andrew Steinberg, an aviation attorney and former chief counsel for the Federal Aviation Administration, said, ''I have not heard there are any problems.'' Justice spokeswoman Gina Talamona said the review is ''ongoing.''

Some opponents say they will continue to object.