Opinions on Northwest Airlines?
 

DH doesn't like them - says he's heard too many bad stories like engines falling off.

They are they only airline that comes up for flying into Albuquerque from Chicago on Orbitz.

Any thoughts?
Thanks.

I've flown Northwest for the last 15 years. I've never had any horror stories. Just the usual as with any other airline.....

Suggestions are:

1. Try another travel site such as travelocity. Don't put in the dates, instead select Best Fare Available. This will tell you what airlines fly to/from the 2 cities this site posts. Unfortunately, some airlines do not deal with the travel sites so you will only receive posts from the airlines that work with the site. SW for instance only sells through its own site.

2. Read the posts that have already been posted to your previous missive.

3. Search the internet for the Albuquerque airport web site which will list the airlines that fly into it. Do the same with Chicago and cross-reference.

4. Call a travel agent and let them do all the leg work. Pay them their $12-20 fee.

Northwest is fine. Plane is a wide mix of old planes ranging from DC-9-30s (!) to new Airbus 319s and 320s, all scrupulously maintained. Service tends to be a bit chilly, but if they fly where you want to go for the price you're willing to pay, you'll be perfectly OK. Those stories are just that-- stories. NWA's maintenance record is on a par with the other major US airlines.

I don't fly Northwest often but wouldn't hesitate to do so. In fact, I ALMOST booked them for a recent trip to NYC because the fares were good. Ended up on Delta because of schedule.

This may or may not matter to you, but you can earn Continental miles (and maybe Delta miles at this point) when flying Northwest!

Just like any other airline, you will hear good and bad about Northwest.

We fly Northwest a lot because they go nonstop to many places we have to go and we have no complaints. We also fly a lot of other airlines and think they are all about the same.

In my experience, Northwest is worse than average, but not so bad that I will not use them when there are no good alternatives.


Keith

I haven't had any worse problems with NWA than with any of the others. My main complaints with them is that whenever I take them, they can't seem to get their act together when we land and taxi to the gate--always have to wait for ground crew, like they weren't expecting us.
Other than that, they're no different from anyone else.

I've flown 559,857 miles on NW in the past 10 years. While I am tired of some of their planes (MD 80/90 series in particular!), I generally get good service whether I sit in coach or first class. I like that Delta and Continental are in a code share arrangement with NW for the WorldPerks program. I use all 3 airlines and am building miles in my NW account for a big 20th anniversary celebration next year!

I agree with GoTravel and others--Northwest is no better or worse than any other airline. (Btw, at their giant MSP hub, they're actually kind of impressively well run.)IMO, refusing to fly one or another airline because of "stories" further complicates the already irritating process of travelling these days.

My parents used to fly NWA all the time, and they liked them. Me? I flew once with NWA, and it was the only time ever an airline lost my luggage. That was back in the 80s, but I've never flown them again and the airline is just not one I normally consider.

But hey, stories are just stories. Besides, I've not heard of an engine falling off a commercial jet before!

RandyK: NW itself doesn't fly the MD-80s or 90s-- they've been using old DC-9s for many years. I don't know that they ever flew MD-80s (which are stretched DC-9s with newer toys in the cockpit).

That's right! It's the entire series of DC 9 that I'm most tired of riding!

Used to love to fly them back to CT all the time. Avoided Dallas or Chicago. Never had a problem, plane or personnel wise.

But, does anyone else have to go thru a lot of touch and goes at Minna/St Paul airport? I think I've been on about 10 planes that have had to do that and maybe 9 were in Min/StPaul????
Pretty scary! C:)

In the past they really deserved their "North Worst" nickname but for the last couple years have been working to change things. They are about average for US airlines, the best feature being their alliance with Continental. Nowadays I don't hesitate to fly NWA if they have the best fare or schedule to my destination.

Oops- forgot to add that Southwest flies between these cities but won't show up on sites other than their own - www.southwest.com

Northwest Airlines has the one of the very best FF programs in the industry. I fly them more than 50,000 miles annually. Their service in on par with other major U.S. airlines. Things were a little spotty several years ago when the airline was going through some labor issues.

By no means am I a fan of NWA but I will take them in a couple days across the pond.
they do fly old planes and I hate the location of their hubs but will take them if the price is right.
Currently I am scheduled to fly from the SE to MSP for a flight across the pond - now that is horrible - you hope you are at least making progress not flying backward. I know they do have flights out of Detroit but even then thats not much better.

Could someone please tell me what touch and goes are?

I will be flying through MSP

Hi, recently flew NW through Detroit to Paris - couldn't have been a nice flight. Yes, the plane was older, but not as horrific as some of the reviews I read made it sound. The service was fine, and there was the usual complimentary beverages and in-flight entertainment. Not exactly sure why some bash this airline, as I really don't know what else a person would need on a flight - it's only a few hours, not a lifetime. Can't comment on the food, we ate dinner in Detroit, skipped the plane dinner and ate the fruit from the breakfast they served. Overall a very good experience and I would not hesitate to book on NW again.