The Salt Lake City Council in December adopted a joint resolution with Mayor Rocky Anderson expressing a preference that Delta emerge from bankruptcy as a stand-alone carrier. The resolution also urged federal officials to "carefully scrutinize US Airways' unsolicited merger with Delta Air Lines to guard against the potential for anti-competitive behavior, to ensure a level of competition among airlines that will benefit the traveling public and to ensure that the high level of air service to Utah and the Intermountain West is continued."

The Salt Lake County Council had planned to hold public hearings to examine what effect US Airways' proposal might have on the county. But now that Delta's future seems safe, councilman Joe Hatch said the hearings will be canceled.

"Delta has been a good business to have in Utah. Having a hub here has been absolutely great for the state, and I just think that's really neat," Hatch said of Wednesday's news.

Not that Delta is out of the woods yet — there are still hearings to be held and creditor committees to persuade. And Dunn said it is likely there will be other suitors for Delta.

"I'd like to think, and I hope, that Delta can emerge as a standalone carrier," he said. "That would be the best of all worlds for Delta and its employees. Do I think we've seen the last suitor? No.

"I think consolidation is a foregone conclusion. It's going to happen sooner or later. For Delta, it's better if it happens later. A carrier in bankruptcy is a takeover target. No one wants to be a takeover. We'd want it to happen on our own terms."

Still, Utah business and community leaders took a moment Wednesday and allowed themselves to enjoy the welcome news.

"We can all breathe easier now," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. "This was the right decision, and it couldn't have come sooner. Consolidation with US Airways could have seriously harmed Delta's Salt Lake City hub and hurt Utah's economy."

Lane Beattie, president and chief executive officer of the Salt Lake Chamber, said he has looked at Delta's restructuring plan and spoken with its leaders, and he believes the company is on the right track.

"With the recent approval of the financing package for Delta announced two days ago, and now this, it shows that they're in an ideal position to come out of bankruptcy in a strong, powerful way," Beattie said. "The handwriting was on the wall for us, and having Delta is certainly a significant strength to our community, and to the area."

City councilman Carlton Christensen, whose district includes the airport, called US Airways' withdrawal "good for the long-term nature of the Salt Lake City airport, and in particular in air service for Salt Lake."

"Delta still is not out of bankruptcy, but I do believe they're heading in a strong direction," Christensen said. "I think there's a lot of positive aspects and changes in directions they're making. I think we're better off here in Salt Lake having a hub airport."

Ditto from Barbara Gann, spokeswoman for the Salt Lake City Department of Airports. "Today's news was welcome news," Gann said. "We were pleased to learn that US Air dropped their efforts, and we look forward to looking with Delta Air Lines towards financial sustainability."

Airline drops takeover proposal

• US Airways drops $9.8 billion hostile bid for Delta Air Lines.

• Unsecured creditors say Delta would be better off emerging from bankruptcy on its own.

• Delta says US Airways plan would have delayed its reorganization.

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Contributing: Leigh Dethman; Doug Smeath

E-mail: jnii@desnews.com