Elite New York firms Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have bagged lead roles on the merger between Delta Airlines and Northwest Airlines – a deal that will create the country’s largest air carrier, worth almost $18bn (£9bn).

Wachtell is advising Delta alongside fellow US firm Hunton & Williams. Corporate partners Edward Herlihy, Stephanie Seligman and Lawrence Makow led the team for Wachtell.