Hatch, the ranking Republican member of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee probing the merger, says he will quiz the chief executives of Delta and Northwest about their plans to create the world's largest airline and its impacts on Utah.

"One of the pressing questions in my mind concerning the proposed Delta-Northwest merger is how this merger would affect travelers into and out of Salt Lake City and the Utah-based employees," Hatch said Wednesday. "From what I'm being told, Delta's Salt Lake City hub will remain in place, and the merger may increase both the quality of service and the traffic at Salt Lake City International Airport."

The House Judiciary task force on Competition Policy and Antitrust Laws and the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights both will hold hearings today on the proposed merger. Delta CEO Richard Anderson and Northwest CEO Douglas Steenland are slated to testify and take questions on how the new airline, which will take the Delta name, will operate and how it will affect customers and employees.

"I am also interested to hear from the companies and industry experts on the competitive ramifications of this merger," Hatch said. "According to preliminary information, the routes currently flown by the two companies are mostly complementary. Therefore, the combined company may benefit fliers."

Delta employs about 600 pilots and 700 flight attendants based out of Salt Lake City, and the companies' leaders have said they will retain all of their hubs. The merger could create a bonus for Utah residents with access to more domestic and international flights.

Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, sits on the House task force and plans to ask Delta's Anderson to go on the record saying that jobs won't be lost at Salt Lake City International Airport because of the merger, according to spokesman Fred Piccolo.

tburr@sltrib.com