raven2

My daughter is flying home from Europe tomorrow - was planning to take the LSAT on Saturday. However, things have changed. Her grandmother died yesterday and the funeral is later this week in Detroit. Coincidentally, one of our daughter's stops after the international leg of her flight is DTW. She's flying Northwest.

I called to see if we could change the reservation to a stopover rather than a connection, but was told that her ticket does not allow for this. Since she is traveling back to Europe on a separate reservation, I thought she could just skip the last leg of her trip and stay in Detroit for the funeral. Can we do this?

Also I am concerned about her luggage. Can she asked that it be booked only to DTW? If the airline won't do this, will she go through customs in DTW? And can she just take her bags and exit the terminal rather than sticking them on a conveyor for the last leg of her trip? Her flight from Europe leaves at midnight so a quick response is needed. Thanks, in advance. You folks always seem to have the answers.

rjw_lgb_ca

Condolences for your family's loss.

Unfortunately, if your daughter doesn't fly on the second leg of her flight home to the US, the return ticket will be cancelled.

rkkwan

She's flying back on the return part of the ticket. So, if she's willing to give up DTW-home, she's fine.

And if she's flying Europe-DTW, she'll need to collect bags to go through US Customs anyways. After she walks out of customs, just get out of the airport.

No need to tell NW anything, and don't tell NW anything.

Then buy a separate ticket to go home after the funeral.

Sorry for the loss.

rjw_lgb_ca

I misread it-- sorry again!!!!!!!

rkkwan, thanks for correcting me.

raven, rkkwan's right. For some reason I thought she was returning to Europe on the same ticket. Can't read today....

raven2

Thanks everyone for your prompt replies. I knew I could count on you. Do you think my daughter will have a problem returning to Europe? Her new ticket is also with NW?

gail

Am not sure I completely understand the connections, but agree that the luggage may be a problem - I don't think you can check luggage only to an intermediate stop.

AAFrequentFlyer

<b>gail</b>,

She's coming from Europe. She will need to collect her luggage for US Customs. Regardless if she has the luggage checked through or not, as <b>rkkwan</b> already plainly stated, she can just walk out of the customs area and keep on walking with her luggage.

rkkwan

No, raven. She won't have problem with other NW tickets. Only thing you won't have is FF miles for DTW-home.

MIWinnie

Thanks everyone, especially rkkwan, for your prompt responses. I told my daughter to collect her bags and walk out the door. I'm flying in on another airline and will meet her. Her dad is picking up both of us. It's his mother who passed.