Delta will pay $150 million for a refinery near Philadelphia, according to the Associated Press. The airline hopes to cut fuel costs by making its own jet fuel.

Pinnacle Airlines Corp., which flies regional jets for Delta Air Lines, is still working its way through the bankruptcy process. A spokesman for the Memphis-based regional carrier tells the Pioneer Press the final report is several weeks. Pinnacle is exploring every opportunity to reduce costs, including whether to move its corporate headquarters to the Twin Cities.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the dominant carrier at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is studying the possible acquisition. The No. 2 airline was also considering buying the parent company of American Airlines. The Atlanta-based carrier acquired Northwest Airlines in 2008.

The $750,000 grant will be used to help the city attract airlines he St. Cloud Regional Airport -- which has been without commercial air service since Delta Airlines ended its flights there in 2009.

Mesaba's parent company, Pinnacle Airlines, is already based in Memphis and currently has about 800 Minnesota employees. Delta sold the regional air carrier last year. Mesaba's roots are in Minnesota's World War II-era iron range.

Minneapolis-based Regional Elite Airline Services, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, will close Nov. 13. The company says its work has been awarded to another contractor at the airport. About 4,000 employees are affected, many in the Twin Cities will take jobs with Delta Ground Services.

The Atlanta-based airline says the Twin Cities is a key part of its operations. Delta's senior vice president of Minnesota operations told the Star Tribune the airline is investing more than $3 million in new equipment at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Delta already employs 12,000 people in Minnesota and plans to add 400 positions in June.