Northwest Airlines will stop flying between Detroit and Brussels two months after opening the route and a month after canceling a daily flight to Germany, as the carrier copes with a pilot shortage. The Eagan-based airline, which started the daily service linking Detroit and the Belgian capital on June 15 using Boeing Co. 757 aircraft, will abandon the route after the Aug. 14 return flight, the operator of the Brussels airport said Friday. The carrier doesn't plan to cancel any other international routes and may resume service to Belgium once "operational performance is returned to the high standard expected by the company" on U.S. routes, said Darren Shannon, a spokesman for the airline. Also Friday, Northwest said its July traffic slipped 0.5 percent to 7.28 billion revenue passenger miles from 7.31 billion in July 2006. Revenue passenger miles are the number of miles flown times the number of paying passengers. Ceridian settles suit over pending buyout
Ceridian Corp. said Friday that it will settle a lawsuit related to its agreement to be sold for $5.3 billion, or $36 a share, to Thomas H. Lee Partners and Fidelity National Financial Inc. As part of its settlement of the case of Sullivan v. Marinello, the provider of human-resources and payroll services agreed to make additional disclosures in its buyout proxy statement, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The settlement still requires court approval, Bloomington-based Ceridian said.Boston Sci credit ratings cut to junk
Boston Scientific had its credit ratings cut to below investment grade by Standard & Poor's and Fitch after deciding not to sell part of its endosurgery unit. SP lowered the credit rating to "BB+" from "BBB-" and may consider more downgrades, the rating service said Friday in a statement. Fitch said it dropped the company's issuer default rating to "BB+" from "BBB-." The ratings are considered junk status. Boston Scientific said Thursday it will announce a restructuring and job cuts next quarter "to begin enhancing shareholder value." The Natick, Mass.-based medical-device maker has extensive operations in the Twin Cities.CHS buys grain marketing business
Farmer cooperative CHS said Friday it will acquire the distillers dried grain marketing business of Commodity Specialists Co. The transaction has been approved by the boards of both companies and is scheduled to become effective next week. Steve Markham and Sean Broderick, current managers of the operation for Commodity Specialists, will continue to direct it as employees of Inver Grove Heights-based CHS.
INSIDER TRADES
Analysts International Corp.: Michael Esstman, director, bought 4,600 shares Aug. 1 at $1.70 per share; holds 14,600 shares.
Entegris Inc.: John Goodman, vice president, sold 1,200 shares Aug. 1 at $10.73 per share, option related, 10(b) 5-1 Plan; holds 330,565 shares.
Trading of company stock reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission, according to Bloomberg News; holdings include only common shares owned and do not include stock warrants or options.
- Staff and wire reports
