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Question:

> > Unfortunately NW has the EWR-MSP city-pair contract, so….. <blah>

Actually, CO does EWR-MSP [with no stops on most of the flights.] I’ve done it a number of times. — Marshal Perlman Minnetonka, MN [Delete + sign to reply via E-mail.]

Response:

It sounds to me that you were bumped due to being late for check in..I dont know I was not there.  However, the airlines must oversell there flights in order to compensate for the "no-show" factor.  If hey dont, they will go under. I am sorry to hear of your trouble, but it is not just Northwest, overselling is practiced by ALL airlines.  The only reason that a person would not receive compensation for being bumped would be not compying w/ the airlines check in policy.  If you were indeed there and checked in on insist that the airline check your reservation history, it records the time the agent checked you in for your flight.  (dont forget to remind them that their agent could have made an error in check you in, and that you are paying for their mistake..they key is to present yourself in a calm, professional manner, but also be firm in your opinion. I used to be a manager for Northwest and know how to play their "game".  If I can be of more assistance, let me know, I have over 8 years experiene in the airline industry.   Good luck

Response:

I must agree without a doubt Northwest and it’s associated partners are abysmal…. I would fly almost anyone over Northwest…. I have had Aeroflot flights that made the crews and employees of North*worst* look friendly! Last trip with NW was in May, MCI-MSP-DLH what a fiasco… Took 2 days each way with over 16 cancelled or overbooked flights and I was on an F fare…. Cannot imagine what other were subjected to… Cannot wait for NW to fold roll over and die…. AWFUL Airline… The worst in the US.

Response:

Northwest has driven prices at their Hub here in Memphis significantly higher than any other hub in the country. Southwest won’t even touch Memphis, and many people go to Little Rock to save Hundreds of Dollars. i.e St.Louis  -Memphis  about $350 rt St. Louis – Little Rock about $80 rt Herb….come to Memphis, please!! (or at least West Memphis,AR!) I have 15,000 miles in the NW world perks, which is paltry, but nonetheless good enough for some sort of upgrade, with all the money I’ve given them…it’s like trying to pull teeth to get it!                                 Andrew http://www.cbu.edu/~aoliva ICQ# 8430076 Landing: a controlled mid-air collision with a planet. Sound like any of the flights you’ve been on? Glider – Formerly "airplane," prior to running out of fuel. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >       Northwest  mileage program is a scam !  I have been trying to > obtain a rt  to BKK from DTW . To use up my miles, no such luck for > 1998.  OK lets try for a trip to San Diego first class in Oct 98.  Gee > there are no seats available. One way or another I am going to use the > miles  and Never fly Northworst agin !!!!    

Response:

Back in April, got a RT ticket from LAX-MSN no problem off my dad’s NW miles. It was made 14 days before the trip. Granted I had to take a 12:30am departure out of LAX, but everything else was o.k. About the short hauls mentioned below: It seems fairly uncommon, unless its a commuter route (LAX-SFO, etc…) , for trips less than 300 or so miles to be cheap. Try MSP to MSN (290 miles). It’s about $260 RT. Only explanation I can offer up is the lack of competition. Cheaper to drive the five hours.   Chris… > Northwest has driven prices at their Hub here in Memphis significantly > higher than any other hub in the country. Southwest won’t even touch > Memphis, and many people go to Little Rock to save Hundreds of Dollars. > i.e St.Louis  -Memphis  about $350 rt > St. Louis – Little Rock about $80 rt > Herb….come to Memphis, please!! (or at least West Memphis,AR!) > I have 15,000 miles in the NW world perks, which is paltry, but > nonetheless good enough for some sort of upgrade, with all the > money I’ve given them…it’s like trying to > pull teeth to get it!

– Chris Smallcomb Jet Propulsion Lab

Response:

> Please forward this warning to as many people as you can.  Don’t fly > Northwest Airlines!!!  Making a reservation with Northwest Airlines is > basically pointless.

Somehow I get the feeling we’re not getting the whole story here. In my experience with Northwest, they’ve gone the extra mile every time to make my trip a pleasant one.  That doesn’t mean they’ve never messed up, just that when they did they danced like crazy to make it "right" as possible. — Kim

Response:

> Somehow I get the feeling we’re not getting the whole story here. > In my experience with Northwest, they’ve gone the extra mile every > time to make my trip a pleasant one.  That doesn’t mean they’ve > never messed up, just that when they did they danced like crazy to > make it "right" as possible.

Everyone has a beef with one airline or another – just read the plethora of "don’t fly XYZ air" posts.  (Mine’s with Avensa, BTW).  Northwest is competent, in that the flights I have taken with them (4, not a representative sample I realize) have taken off and landed on time and have boarded and flown without any dramas.  However, I think that "dancing" is straining credulity – the in-flight service is a bit shoddy and careless (I was warned by a Northwest vet to "eat before you go" which is good advice!); but for $150CDN cheaper than anyone else (Halifax-New Orleans, when they had directs YHZ-ATL) I can grab a sandwich somewhere…

Response:

Mind if i take an ax to you?  I’VE NEVER SEEN SUCH AN OVERREACTION IN MY how can you say this?  EVERY AIRLINE HAS THE RIGHT TO BUMP YOU.. THEIR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS ARE TO GET YOU FROM POINT A TO POINT B AND THAT’S IT… I can say as my experience working for Northwest Airlink handling 3500 customers a month, this has never EVER happened at the station i was at nor at a 6000 customer/month station. You just sound like you were denied boarding and are super pissed about it… sorry, but shit happens in the airline industry. Nate

Response:

>Mind if i take an ax to you?  I’VE NEVER SEEN SUCH AN OVERREACTION IN MY >how can you say this?  EVERY AIRLINE HAS THE RIGHT TO BUMP YOU.. THEIR >CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS ARE TO GET YOU FROM POINT A TO POINT B AND >THAT’S IT… >I can say as my experience working for Northwest Airlink handling 3500 >customers a month, this has never EVER happened at the station i was at >nor at a 6000 customer/month station. >You just sound like you were denied boarding and are super pissed about >it… sorry, but shit happens in the airline industry.

Maybe so, but it works both ways. Maybe he’s overreacting, but he has every right to do so, and to post it here. For the record, I’ve never had a good flight on NW, and avoid them whenever possible. Getting an "aww, too bad" form letter after a bad experience just doesn’t cut it. Other airlines seem to care more about problems. Unfortunately NW has the EWR-MSP city-pair contract, so….. <blah> Ed R.

Response:

For the record, I last flew NW in 1993 and make it my last choice.  I also have had too many bad experiences with NW.   > For the record, I’ve never had a good flight on NW, and avoid them whenever > possible. Getting an "aww, too bad" form letter after a bad experience just > doesn’t cut it. Other airlines seem to care more about problems. > Unfortunately NW has the EWR-MSP city-pair contract, so….. <blah> > Ed R.

– Werner J. Severin

Response:

We’ve never had such rude experiences from NW than any other airlines.  The check-in people are the worst, especially in Las Vegas, Seattle, Honolulu.  There were times we had to check in utilizing NW staff even though flying via HAL at Las Vegas.  Without the First Class check-in counter privilege, forget it.  Rude, rude, rude.  And their FA’s are just as bad.  We will never fly NW again if we could help it and the last time we flew NW was in 1995.

For the record, I last flew NW in 1993 and make it my last choice.  I also have had too many bad experiences with NW.   > For the record, I’ve never had a good flight on NW, and avoid them whenever > possible. Getting an "aww, too bad" form letter after a bad experience just > doesn’t cut it. Other airlines seem to care more about problems. > Unfortunately NW has the EWR-MSP city-pair contract, so….. <blah> > Ed R.

– Werner J. Severin

Response:

      Northwest  mileage program is a scam !  I have been trying to obtain a rt  to BKK from DTW . To use up my miles, no such luck for 1998.  OK lets try for a trip to San Diego first class in Oct 98.  Gee there are no seats available. One way or another I am going to use the miles  and Never fly Northworst agin !!!!    

Response:

I managed to grab a seat to Manila from Detroit (RT) for December. However, I made the reservation about a year in advance. Usually, seats are released for WP redemption 8 months in advance. I’d say about 10% of the seats are allotted for WP redemption. Good luck! – Pat

Response:

Wouldn’t it make sense to get your ticket and boarding pass from your travel agent ahead of time? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Please forward this warning to as many people as you can.  Don’t fly > Northwest Airlines!!!  Making a reservation with Northwest Airlines is > basically pointless.  You could have a reservation, you might even have > a protected reservation — You might even have a confirmed seat on a > plane! — but it doesn’t matter.  Northwest Airlines might still decide > to bump you from your flight without any notice, without your > permission, and without any compensation.  It doesn’t matter how early > you arrive at the airport.  It doesn’t matter how you made your > reservation or when you paid for it.  Northwest may simply decide not to > honor it.  If you try to contact Northwest Airlines after such an > incident, people will tell you that what happened should not have > happened and that you should be compensated; but, you need to contact > Customer Relations.  This department may not actually exist; since > there is no way to directly talk to a human being, and since they do not > seem to respond to written communication either. > All of these things happened to me!!!  They could happen to you!!! > So, please warn as many people as you can (especially those about to > travel) that they would be extremely ill-advised to fly Northwest.

Response:

> Please forward this warning to as many people as you can.  Don’t fly > Northwest Airlines!!!  Making a reservation with Northwest Airlines is

[text about massive paranoia cut] Did you stop taking your medication again?

Response:

Please forward this warning to as many people as you can.  Don’t fly Northwest Airlines!!!  Making a reservation with Northwest Airlines is basically pointless.  You could have a reservation, you might even have a protected reservation — You might even have a confirmed seat on a plane! — but it doesn’t matter.  Northwest Airlines might still decide to bump you from your flight without any notice, without your permission, and without any compensation.  It doesn’t matter how early you arrive at the airport.  It doesn’t matter how you made your reservation or when you paid for it.  Northwest may simply decide not to honor it.  If you try to contact Northwest Airlines after such an incident, people will tell you that what happened should not have happened and that you should be compensated; but, you need to contact Customer Relations.  This department may not actually exist; since there is no way to directly talk to a human being, and since they do not seem to respond to written communication either. All of these things happened to me!!!  They could happen to you!!! So, please warn as many people as you can (especially those about to travel) that they would be extremely ill-advised to fly Northwest.

Response:

I’m planning a trip to Malaysia and was quoted agreat fare by Northwest. Has anyone flown international with them? Opinions?

Response:

Nortwest is the best. Their international service is very good, comfortable seats, good in-flight entertainment and nice Flight Attentant’s.

| | I’m planning a trip to Malaysia and was quoted agreat fare by Northwest. Has | anyone flown international with them? Opinions? | |

Response:

  I wouldn’t agree with any of that.  The service, food, and seats are marginal.  However, the planes generally go where they are supposed to go when they are supposed to go there.  In many trips to Thailand, my wife and I have only suffered one cancellation, no missed connections, and no major delays other than the one cancelled flight.   Because the main alternative for us is United, an airline that doesn’t give a damn about its passengers and which I will NEVER fly again under ANY circumstances, we will probably continue with Northwest. Kent Scheidegger – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Nortwest is the best. Their international service is very good, comfortable > seats, good in-flight entertainment and nice Flight Attentant’s. > | > | I’m planning a trip to Malaysia and was quoted agreat fare by Northwest. > Has > | anyone flown international with them? Opinions? > | > |

Response:

I go to Thailand every year and have found that China Airlines or Korean airlines are cheaper and has great service.  hb

Response:

> I go to Thailand every year and have found that China Airlines or Korean > airlines are cheaper and has great service.  hb

Why don’t you try Singapore, Cathay, or EVA, and then  maybe you’ll think China Airlines and Korean aren’t so great after all.

Response:

>I’m planning a trip to Malaysia and was quoted agreat fare by Northwest. >Has anyone flown international with them? Opinions?

I’ve had good experiences with them … even when they’ve screwed up they’ve TRIED to make it better.  (Unlike my experiences with American.) — Kimbis

Response:

So here’s an addendum: What about a DC10. They (NW) have us set up on a DC10 from Osaka to Malaysia. The parents are convinced these planes are absolutely NOT safe. Any opinions?

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I’m planning a trip to Malaysia and was quoted agreat fare by Northwest. >Has anyone flown international with them? Opinions? > I’ve had good experiences with them … even when they’ve screwed up they’ve > TRIED to make it better.  (Unlike my experiences with American.) > — Kimbis

Response:

Their safe….end of story. vanish747 Northwest f/o – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->So here’s an addendum: >What about a DC10. They (NW) have us set up on a DC10 from Osaka to >Malaysia. The parents are convinced these planes are absolutely NOT safe. >Any opinions? > >I’m planning a trip to Malaysia and was quoted agreat fare by Northwest. > >Has anyone flown international with them? Opinions? > I’ve had good experiences with them … even when they’ve screwed up >they’ve > TRIED to make it better.  (Unlike my experiences with American.) > — Kimbis

Response:

>The parents are convinced these planes are absolutely NOT safe. >Any opinions?

By now they’ve figured out all the problems, IMO. And I’ve flown alot of DC-10’s, and not by plan (on Martinair, CO, NW, UA, HA), BTW. Flown MD-11’s on KL and DL.  Those you might worry about. -Erik

Response:

>What about a DC10. They (NW) have us set up on a DC10 from Osaka to >Malaysia. The parents are convinced these planes are absolutely NOT safe. >Any opinions?

I don’t know about anyone else here, but I’m the wrong person to ask this sort of thing.  I got on the (big) Cessna that they had to jump start with a payloader when I was in Costa Rica. — Kimbis

Response:

Don’t NW have a code share with MY – I flew Malaysian and they were great. Would avoid Korean (unless you have good life insurance). DC10 – okay, so they had a few prob’s late 70’s, ealry 80’s, but none of late. I’d go on one! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->What about a DC10. They (NW) have us set up on a DC10 from Osaka to >Malaysia. The parents are convinced these planes are absolutely NOT safe. >Any opinions? > I don’t know about anyone else here, but I’m the wrong person to ask this sort > of thing.  I got on the (big) Cessna that they had to jump start with a > payloader when I was in Costa Rica. > — Kimbis

Response:

since they fly everyday, when’s the last time you heard of a DC-10 crash? (typical problems, yes, but that’s not the same as a safety "unsafe" comment)

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> So here’s an addendum: > What about a DC10. They (NW) have us set up on a DC10 from Osaka to > Malaysia. The parents are convinced these planes are absolutely NOT safe. > Any opinions? > >I’m planning a trip to Malaysia and was quoted agreat fare by Northwest. > >Has anyone flown international with them? Opinions? > I’ve had good experiences with them … even when they’ve screwed up > they’ve > TRIED to make it better.  (Unlike my experiences with American.) > — Kimbis

Response:

they pays their money and they takes their chances.  Statistically, they probably won’t have any problem…problem…problem…

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I go to Thailand every year and have found that China Airlines or Korean >airlines are cheaper and has great service. > Their appalling safety record does not bother you? > — Craig

Response: