Complain about a product or service

Northwest Airlines

Northwest Airlines • Ticketing snafus • Luggage lost, stolen, destroyed • General hostility • Disgruntled Employees • Northwest vs. KLM • Pray for food --- News • Delta, Northwest Complete Merger • Delta, Northwest Merger Faces Heavy Chop • Troubled Northwest Strikes New Deal With Pilots • A Seething Summer of Discontent for Northwest Airlines • Northwest Passengers Face Uncertain Summer • Pilot Shortages Plague Northwest Passengers • Machinists Pact May Head Off Northwest Airline Strike • Northwest Hopes to Cancel Employee Contracts • Delta, Northwest File for Bankruptcy • Northwest Flying Despite Strike • Northwest Warns Of Bankruptcy • Strike Looms At Northwest • Northwest Seeks Replacement Flight Attendants • Northwest Pushes Up Fares

An icy fossil that survives only because Southwest apparently dislikes cold weather, Northwest is perhaps the most rigid U.S. airline when it comes to making even the slightest accommodation to the customers who keep it in business.

The complaints in this section illustrate how unnecessarily miserable travel can be if one chooses the wrong carrier.

Here are a few of the more recent consumer comments:

Tanya of Apple Valley, CA October 16, 2009

My NW flight (#5974) left Ontario, CA at 6 am. We were headed to Salt Lake City, Utah. This flight was pleasant and I had light conversation with the military passengers around me. I arrived at Salt Lake City and upon getting off had to board another NW flight immediately (flight #1167). This NW flight was headed to Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. This flight was also pleasant and I had light conversation with a gentleman next to me who was headed to Washington DC for a yearly business convention. When I arrived in Minnesota, I had time to eat lunch. So, I ate and then boarded a Delta flight to Nashville, Tennessee #5736.

The flight was pleasant up until we were landing in Nashville. The pilot announced we are beginning our descent into Nashville. About 5-10 minutes later I felt the urge to urinate. I chose not to get up at this time because the seatbelt light was on and the plane was swaying from side to side. I knew that if I had gotten up, I would have fallen in the isle. So, I thought to myself "I can make it. I'll just go as soon as I get to the gate." The plane did not land for approximately 25 minutes. During this 25 minutes, my bladder started to swell and I felt a lot of pressure. We land, and are approaching our gate.

We were almost to the gate when the pilot announced that there was another plane at our gate and we had to wait for them to move. I thought this was the perfect opportunity to use the bathroom as we were at a dead stop. I get up out of my seat start walking down the isle and the flight attendant at the front of the plane announced "Mam, please stay in your seat." As I reached the bathroom area there is another flight attendant sitting next to the door. She said, "You need to take a seat. I can't let you use the bathroom right now." I tell her my bladder is going to burst and that I have to go right now. She says, "I can't let you do that. Please sit down." I sigh and turn around and sit in the seat closest to the bathroom. The pilot then announces, "Folks, we will be sitting for 5 to 10 minutes. Please bare with us." I take my seatbelt off, get half way out of my seat and look at the flight attendant. She looks over at me and shakes her head no. I say, "We are at a dead stop for 5-10 minutes and I'm only going to be 30 seconds in the bathroom. Please let me go."

At this time, I noticed that people around me are beginning to notice what is going on. I am feeling very frantic, and in a lot of pain. I text messaged my husband and friend to let them know that the flight attendants are not letting me use the bathroom. I turned to the flight attendant again with pleading eyes and say "Don't you realize this could cause a medical problem?" I asked her for her name as she shrugged her shoulders at my question and she said, "All you need to know is the flight number, not my name." She said, "I talked to the pilot and the pilot said "no, too." I started crying and turned away saying "Oh my God." I notice there is a female passenger looking at me with an expression on her face as if to say "I can't believe they're doing this to you."

I am crying, in a lot of pain, and now I'm angry. At this point, I'm also feeling very humiliated. I wait another couple of minutes and cannot wait any longer. I take my seat belt off and charge for the bathroom. I reach for the doorknob and the flight attendant stands in my way and crosses her arms as if she's a body guard and says, "You will not use the bathroom." I try to tell her that I am on a medication and she doesn't let me finish my sentence and very rudely says, "Yeah, sure you are." I am on a medication called Wellbutrin that causes frequent urination and this is what I was trying to tell her. I am hysterically crying trying to reach the bathroom door and she shoves me away. I am continuously trying to reach for the door knob of the bathroom, and she is pushing my arms and hands away.

I tell her while crying, in a frantic voice, "I am not going to be in any more pain because of you. How can you do this to me? Please let me go in!" Lastly, I tell her that if she doesn't get out of my way I'm going to pee on the floor and she says, "Go ahead!" I think to myself, I only have one pair of pants with me for a 3 day business trip and I am not going to ruin the only pair of pants I have as there are no washing machines at a hotel. So, I made the choice to pull down my pants, squat to the floor and void. The passengers can't see me because I'm in the attendant work station area. The only one that saw me do this was the flight attendant. I finish, stand up, and walk away, crying. I was so furious, and shaking and hurt. I get to my seat and lightly touch the oriental lady on the shoulder to let me back in and she politely moves out of the way.

I sit down, feeling absolutely embarrassed, pick up my phone and contact Pre-Paid Legal. The Pre-Paid legal assistant filed the information and while I'm on the phone with the assistant the plane is finally getting to the gate. I grab my stuff like the other passengers and get off the plane without anyone approaching me. I think to myself "Maybe they're just going to let it go. I will just let it go and just go to my hotel and forget about this." I reach the benches by the airport exiting doors and emotionally fall apart. I called my husband and told him what happened. He is very angry with the airline as well. Just as I am about to hang up with him, the flight attendant and 2 BNA police officers approach me.

Officer Lawrence pulled me aside and asked what happened. I told him what I could and he said, "What you did was illegal. I will do one of two things: I will either take you to jail or you will go clean it up." I responded, "If it's just urinating in public, can't you just give me a ticket?" He said, "Sure, if you're a resident of Tennessee." I said, "I'm from California and I would only get a ticket there too." He said, "Well that's not how it works here." I said, "Fine, then I'll go clean it up."

We start heading back to the terminal and the pilots are approaching us with the other flight attendant. He says, "Wait here with Officer Clark for a minute." Officer Clark was running my license. I made a phone call to my husband to update him. When I hung up, Officer Clark said, "No more phone calls until we're done conducting our investigation." I said, "I'm expecting a phone call from my attorney, can't I answer that?" "No", he said. 10 minutes later, Officer Lawrence comes back and says, "The airline is going to either bill you for the clean up or ban you from the airline. One of the pilots has to make a phone call to whoever makes this decision."

15 minutes go by and I tell Officer Clark, "I think I'm going to throw up. Can I please go to the bathroom?" He permits me to go. I use the restroom closest to us and I come out and wait another 5 minutes. Officer Lawrence comes back again and says,"The airline has decided to ban you from flying with them." I said, "Okay, well then I'm not too worried because I'm not flying home on Delta anyway." He gives me a card with the case #(09-01504) on it and sends me on my way.

Friday the 18th at around 5pm Nashville time I get a phone call from Grant G., Security Manager of Frontier Airlines. He says, "I'm calling to get your side of the story, but first I have to ask you: Did you make any racial comments or use fowl language?" I told him, "Absolutely not," and told him my side of the story. He seemed to be very sympathetic to my situation and said "Well, the main reason I'm calling you is to let you know ahead of time that NW airlines has contacted US Airways about your situation and US Airway has decided to cancel your return ticket. Unfortunately, it is policy that if there is an airline that cancels their flight with a passenger, then the rest of the airlines on that reservation have to cancel as well." I tell him that I am grateful that he called because it would have been a shock to get to the airport and find I had no way home.

After Delta canceled my flights, I had to purchase a one way ticket back to CA with United Airlines for a cost of 686. I paid a little over 200 for the round trip tickets with Expedia. I'm sure the price was as it was due to the fact that it was short notice and one way. The online system said there were only 3 available seats combined on both planes, and all were first class. I tried to save money by booking through Expedia and because I wasn't allowed to go to the bathroom while at a complete stop, I paid 800+ dollars total to get to Tennessee and back. I only brought one pair of pants for 3 days so that I could save on baggage costs and pack lightly with a carry on bag only.

This was the most humiliating experience of my life. As a first time business flier, I felt my dignity was stripped and I was treated inhumanely, all because I wasn't allowed to relieve myself of excruciating bladder pain while the plane was at a complete stop. They have ruined my interest to ever fly again, and I used to LOVE flying! I now have a problem where I can't void my bladder all the way during each urination. I need treatments for this and I can't afford them. Civil and human rights were violated. Physical abuse by the flight attendant.

Mary of Saint Louis, MO August 20, 2009

My two children and their significant others flew from St. Louis, Mo to Detroit, MI on Flt 1178 on Northwest airlines today 8/20/2009. Their flight was on the ground and unable to get a gate. So they were running late due to the airlines inefficiency. They got to their next gate at the last minute,the plane was still on the ground Flt 3863 scheduled to depart at 1:30 p.m destination Bangor, ME. However the airlines would not let them nor the other 3 passengers who were scheduled on that flight board the plane.

I found out from my daughter that even though NWA knew the flight was on the ground they let other passengers take their seats. There were no other flights awailable later so they are now forced to stay over until tomorrow and take the same flight tomorrow. The airlines would not pay for rooms for them. They told them that they could stay at the airport for 24 hours for free and they would give them food vouchers to use at the airport.

To add insult to injury, their bags were put on the other flight and are now in Bangor, Maine. So they are now not going to arrive in time for family planned activities, the airline feels no responsibility to the passengers yet they were aware that the other flight from St. Louis was on the ground.

I made these reservations over 3 months in advance because we are all in Bar Harbor Maine for their step sisters wedding. I cannot explain how upset I am about this incident with NWA. Additionally, the Flt was over an hour late departing so there would have been plenty of time for them to get on the flight as they were there right at the scheduled departure time. What recourse do I have

We our out hotel costs for two rooms one night. Additonally we had scheduled a family outing for whale watching for tomorrow morning 8/21/2009 which is another 235.00 for the four who are detained in Detroit. The biggest problem is the consequence of missing out the planned activities and being stuck someplace with no clothes, and no toletries and no help from the airlines or even an apology.

Sal of Miami Lakes, FL August 13, 2009

Aug -11th 2009 I was arriving to Miami with a connecting flight from Detroit. My flight was delayed and we reached Detroit around 9:15pm. I missed my connecting flight. Therefore the agents asked to me if I want to catch another flight to Ft.Lauradale airport there I had no choice and I got on the fligt and arrived around at 12:55am. I went to an agent at the Baggage Claim dept and explain my situation. She filed my reports and issue me with a file#. She said someone will deliver my luggage no later then 4:00pm on Thursday 12th . Therefore I asked my wife to stay at home and keep an eyes on for delivery.

I waited for hrs and hrs but didn’t receive any phone calls. I call the 1-800 spoke to an agent and explain my situation to her. Her reply was “she cant help me” (Very unprofessional) I asked her to get me an ETA but again her reply was “I don’t know and I cant help you out”. Around 10:00pm I decided to call back the same 800# and speak to one of the Supervisor. She made some phone calls and told me that someone will contact me between 11:30pm to 4:00am.

At that time I decided to stay home and make sure that I don’t missed there phone call. Unfortunately I never receive any phone calls. I called them back again early morning on Thursday 13th at 9:30am. I speak to a supervisor but apparently she had no clue of when I should be receiving my luggage. She didn’t even try to even contact anyone to see if she can get me an ETA. At this point I am totally lingering around and don’t know where to go. I am dealing with some very unprofessional and incompetent employees at North West Airline.

James of Brooklyn, NY August 11, 2009

My six year old son flew for the first time as an unaccompanied minor on Northwest Flight 1549 from Minneapolis to JFK. I was repeatedly assured by NW employees on the phone and at the Minneapolis airport that my son's mother would be allowed and expected to meet him at his gate at JFK. She arrived an hour before the flight with her ID and was told to wait in a specified room and our son would be brought to her.

When she informed the NW employees that she was assured that she would be able to meet him at the gate she was sent to see no fewer than five other employees. When she was finally allowed to go to his gate she was told that my son had been placed on a bus and was being taken to a waiting area at another terminal. He had been assured that his mother would meet him. He was finally brought to her half an hour after his flight had landed. He was, thankfully, fine, resilient lad that he is, but his mother was understandably upset by the events as was I.

After I contacted NW Customer Support at a non-800 number and waited nearly fifteen minutes for an agent, I received an apology and the offer of a hundred dollar flight voucher for a future flight. I explained to the agent Nick, that I was interested in neither.

What I wanted was for him to take down my complaint and to have someone research the situation and get back to me with an explanation of what happened and why. He informed me that my complaint was being duly noted and would be passed along to the relevant people so that this would not happen again. I responded that my confidence level in NW assurances was not high and wanted someone to get back to me. He said that was not possible but that I could file my complaint on-line and someone would get back to me.

Surely, it was not impossible for me to receive the service for which I asked, simply inconvenient for him and /or NW. They prefer me to e-mail. I preferred, after their botching the treatment of my son the unaccompanied six year old minor, to speak to a live person and then receive a response, which could have been via e-mail. I didn't want a hollow apology nor a flight voucher from an airline so unwilling to address my request after their screw up.

Don of Grand Haven, MI July 29, 2009

I've been trying to book a round trip flight from DTW to BOD; until November 18th it is possible to get Northwest Airlines 8113 operated by Air France -- AF 7625 from BOD to CDG, after that the co-branding disappears, only AF 7625 displays at 10;40AM.

So I filled out the form at NW site--with a reply that says all the NW seats must be filled after the 18th; called customer care, same non-response. Emailed Northwest.Airlines@nwa.com with this reply: Thank you for contacting Customer Care. Matters of this nature are best handled by one of our International Reservations Sales Agents. You may contact them toll-free at 1-800-447-4747. They will be happy to assist you.

Nancy of Minneapolis, MN July 3, 2009

On the evening of 7/1/09, I attempted to book a cash + miles round trip ticket between Minneapolis and Nashville, TN. NWA refused to accept my Flexperks Visa card (issued by US Bank). Bank said it had approved the charge. Still, NWA refused to accept this form of payment. Finally I used my debit card. Was I caught up in the fight between usbank and nwa? Altogether I was online and on the phone for FOUR HOURS. WHAT IS GOING ON??

Scott of Bloomington , IL June 28, 2009

I purchased two ticks on Jun last year with US1991.67 each, on 7/19/2008 I fund the prices went down to US1586.68, and I contracted the Ticket Reservation Service, the service representative agreed to refund the different to my account for Electronic Credit Voucher and charged me 40 for service fee. However, I tried to redeem my credit voucher before it expired on this year July 2009. And I found my credit Voucher was disappeared from my account. I fax and email with my electronic receipt from last year that showed the different prices and service fee to Northwest customer service. But they told me I can redeem my credit voucher if I lost it,and they don't want to help to investigate why the voucher disappear from their system.

Susan of Leesburg, FL June 27, 2009

I don't have the ticket number for my flight from Orlando to Omaha, but this is the ticket number from Omaha to Orlando. First I have to say this is the WORSTY flying experience of my life and I usually fly three times a year, thank goodness with other airlines. Leaving Orlando we sat on the runway for 15-20 minutes which made us late getting in to our connecting flight to Atlanta.

My friend & I hauled to make our connecting flight & he had to stop and use the restroom. I went to the gate which took some time to get to and as I got into the area they were paing our names stating they were closing the flight. OK that was not our fault! I told the lady he was on his way, we were delayed in Orlando & I was told it wasn't her problem ad the flight was closed and if I wanted to be on the flight to get on there now or miss the flight.

We made it into Omaha only to now have my luggage there when I arrived. This is the first time EVER that has happened to me and I had a job in terview set up for 3 p.m.. that after and after flying all that way had to wear what I had on.

We flew back to Orlando on 6/23/09 on Flight 3538. First the ticket said Gate A3, got up to the monitor & it said Gate A5. Went to verify that information w/the lady behind the counter & as I approached she was walking away, & when I asked, she seemed irritated that I bothered her when she was walking away. So, we went back to A3, then was told it was going out of A5 and the flight was due to leave at 4:58 p.m. but again didn't get out until 10-15 minutes late.

Once I sat down, I had a lady with a crying infant behind me that proceeded to kick my seat the entire way to Memphis. We made it in time just to board our connecting flight. I wasn't happy that my friend and I didn't get to sit together on the way back on either flight. But the Me\mphis flight to Orlando sat next to a man with a kid who I feel should have had her own seat but didn't. She started throwing a fit before we took off, which again we were about 30 minutes late taking off. She proceeded to throw a fit the entire way to Orlando. He had her on the floor betwen his feet and she kicked and cried. Each kick hit me in the leg so imagine that for the duration of the flight.....well over an hour. This guy did nothing to quite her down.

Then there was another screaming kid in the back of the plane and one row behind me and over there was another kid that screamed and cried several times. Then it smelled as if the little girl next to me had a dirty diaper the entire trip which smelled horrible. and as the flight attendant was trying to hand out drinks and snacks people were trying to go to the bathroom & couldn't. There was one larger man who insisted on standing there and waiting and it was right next to me and he passed gas a couple of tmes pretty much in my face. It was utterly disgusting!

I feel I should have been reimbursed the bag fee I paid going (15) since I didn't get my bag until almost10 p.m. at night and shouldn't have been charged one on the way home either just for that fact. I feel I should be comped my tickets due to the horrible customer service and all the other incidents incurred during the both flights. I can honestly say I will NEVER fly Northwest/Delta again.

Sharon of Colorado Springs, CO June 26, 2009

My son and I left cas to fiy to BWI on March 25th. The night before it did snow and I understand about weather and how you have no control but other things NWA does have contriol over. The fligh crew was late to the airport which was making the flight late. Then with all of the snow and ice, they had to de-ice the plane which took over 45 mintues to do. I get de-icing the plane what I do not understand is why it took so long since one plane was ahead of us who was almost done when we got there.

Then the flight took longer then it should have and even the flight attendant commented on how late we were, so many people on the flight were going to miss thier connections. The worst part was when we arrived into MSP to change flights there was NO GROUND crew for about 15 minutes.

We had to sit in the plane and wait. When we finally got off the plane we both ran to the other gate (on the other side of the airport) and one of the rep's stated: "What did you want us to do what for 5 you who were late to hold the plane." She then walked away. I was mad at this point. I asked how long before we would catch the next plane from MSP to BWI. The rep had to fly us to Memphis then to BWI. I am unsure why the crew and agency of NWA is so disorganzed and nasty to the consumers.

While the weather is not under [their] control. the crew being late to the airport is. I live far north from cas where the weather is always worst then down at cas so that can not be the excuse. Then waiting so long for the de-icing. no crew at MSP when we arrived and the rudeness of the rep's. I work as a school counselor and understand having to deal with difficult people. Not everyone is mean ( I was nice until the rep in MSP was so mean). There is a way to treat people who are trying to make a connection flight.

Not that NWA cares but I was trying to see my husband who is currently stationed in the DC area due to being active duty Army for the last 20 years. He has not lived at home for over 3 years do to the war in the Middle East. But I still manage to understand what is happening not only with me but others.

I would love to ask for a refund for our flight on March 25th but I know that will not Ilappen. I am hoping that [NWA] would take some training on customer service. Maybe give them an in-service with: Who Moved My Cheese. High 5! The Magic of Working Together. The Last Lecture. FISH! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results, How Full is your Bucket? Strategies for Work and Life. These are just a few of the books that I not only use wllh the staff at our school but our students and parents. Have them just think what It would be like to be in the consumers place.

I was crying and upset. No one has the right to treat another human being like that. I had our 10 year old son with us. All I was doing was wanting some questions answered.

rina of thurmaston, United Kingdom June 25, 2009

i was on a a flight to texas from detroit and had not received my luggage and found to be reported lost several weeks later.I sent my claims form roughly six months later in which i was told this was fine and when i did i was told i could not recieve anything regarding my lost luggage.

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