The FAA Approves Single Operating Certificate for Delta Air Lines today, allowing Delta Air Lines to complete its integration with Northwest Airlines, which will fade into history.

The Single Operating Certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States clears the last hurdle for the two operations to use DL as the single carrier code and combine operations. Delta Air Lines can now function fully as a single airline, and employees will now be completely able to join forces and work together.

This news also means that — amongst other things — the Internet web site of Northwest Airlines will fade into oblivion and cease to exist, Delta Air Lines will be able to freely schedule flight itineraries and aircraft from the two airlines interchangeably and with complete flexibility, and the pilots will be trained on each other’s aircraft and will be able to share a single cockpit.

When FlyerTalk member sophiegirl wanted to get rid of the ladybugs in her room, she was told that it was against the law in the state of North Carolina to kill ladybugs.

Does this mean that sophiegirl would be classified as a murderer if she decided to kill off the ladybugs herself, thereby potentially officially being disciplined by law?

Find out more information as well as the details about this bizarre story in the FlyerTalk thread titled Against the law to kill ladybugs in NC? Who knew…problem at HP South Stream CLT.

Is this Flyer Talk’s version of a Christmas miracle?  jamison lost an MP3 player onboard a flight a year ago and it is now being returned many thousands of miles later.

What if you were in a hotel or airport lounge with computers that have complimentary Internet access, only to find someone sitting at a computer without even using it? Is this behavior rude and selfish? Do you want to find out How to Stop “Computer Moochers” in Lounges?

For some FlyerTalk members, the solution is quite simple.

Fortunately, if you were wondering, this content was not posted to The Gate from a hotel or airport lounge…

What is The emptiest flight you’ve ever been on? How many passengers would you estimate were on that flight? What were the circumstances or conditions that contributed to the fact that there were very few passengers on that flight? What were the origination and destination airports of that empty flight? Was it beneficial because you received special attention from the flight attendants, or did it seem rather eerie?

Not surprisingly, greater than one FlyerTalk member posted being the only passenger on a commercial flight. Of course, some frequent fliers would view this as the perfect Christmas present…

If you plan on staying at a Hilton HHonors property over the course of a weekend sometime in 2010 in the more than 220 destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe — which includes the United Kingdom — then Hilton Hotels Corporation has got a deal for you: The January Sale: 50% All Weekends in 2010.

While the January sale is good throughout 2010, reservations must be booked by January 31, 2010. FlyerTalk members are reporting at which Hilton properties one can take best advantage of this promotion.

An Escape Attempt from CO plane delays flight at the international airport in Houston, and the escapees were otters. The flight was Continental Airlines flight 1294, whose final destination was Columbus, Ohio. Apparently, the otters escaped from caged quarters and overtook the cargo hold, with at least one otter who decided to discover the tarmac.

Passengers on that flight reportedly discovered evidence of the escaped otters after retrieving their luggage.

Why would otters attempt to avoid going to Columbus?

The fact that Some gates in Terminal C closed at Reagan Airport due to Flooding actually has nothing to do with terrorism, as the flood is currently washing a ton of the airport near Washington, D.C. as information related to this story is still dripping out.

Water the cause for the closures? What is apparently forcing the suspension or cancellation of some US Airways flights is a pipe burst, and not a pipe bomb.

We will pipe down now…

A Passenger Attempts to Set Off Possible Bomb as Northwest Flight Lands in Detroit. The Nigerian passenger was allegedly working on behalf of a terrorist group, attempting to blow up the aircraft while it was in United States airspace as the Delta Air Lines aircraft, operating as a Northwest Airlines flight, was on its way to Detroit from Amsterdam.

The suspect was reportedly subdued by fellow passengers and was later treated for injuries which occurred as a direct result of the incident. The Airbus 330-300 aircraft with 278 passengers landed safely.

Here is the official Delta Air Lines Issues Statement on Northwest Flight 253.

This story is still developing at the time this content was posted and may be followed in the other FlyerTalk threads as additional information and details become available:

• Pax lights fireworks on NW AMS-DTW flight
• Passenger Tries to Blow Up Jet Arriving in Detroit
• New security measures
• UA IFE on International Flights into USA Turned Off for Security Precautions
• Rumor: UA Disables IFE on International flights after NWA Incident.. Will CO follow?

Immediately after deplaning at Corpus Christi International Airport, a man was surprised to find his fiancée wearing a wedding gown meeting him at the gate with a justice of the peace. She wanted to marry him immediately.

He said he will and they said “I do.” Apparently the groom was not bothered by the fact that he was under-dressed for his impromptu wedding and did not have his tuxedo packed. Even the floral bouquet was thrown!

It is still not known at this time whether or not either the bride or the groom are members of FlyerTalk.

A link to the news story, as well as video, can be found in the Bride marries arriving groom at Texas airport thread. Find out why the bride decided to marry her fiancé at the airport instead of wait to have a more traditional wedding.

What a great Christmas gift to have. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to one and all!