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:

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.

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.

Richard of winnsboro, TX June 4, 2009

I was adjusting my 2 sons tickets due to a schedule conflict. The trip was booked through nwa. The agent on the phone helped me find an alternative plan which was in my price range. With the 150 fee and difference in ticket price the total to be charged was 390.02. The next day my online bank account showed I was charged 430. I have been flipped back and forth between delta and nwa trying to figure out what happened.

Today they said I have been credited 430 and charged 390.02, but low and behold a credit for 430 then another charge for 430 within 10 minutes on my bank account. I have now talked to 15 people in two days trying to get this resolved. No one can explain why an agent can overcharge even when she gives me the authorization for 390.02. All the supervisor could say was people make mistakes. I feel like this is theft since I only authorized 390.02. 2 1/2 hours of work, as well as stress concerning finances.

Gwen of Orange Village, OH May 8, 2009

On Monday, April 20th, 2009, I flew from Cleveland Ohio (2:05 p.m. Flight NW3297) to Minneapolis Minnesota then Minneapolis to Omaha Nebraska (6:50 p.m. Flight NW1773). When I arrived in Omaha, my 1 piece of checked baggage did not arrive with me. The Omaha airport Northwest Agent (Mary) checked the Northwest online system and told me that my baggage was due in the next day.

Here's what really happened after I investigated the matter further: My baggage arrived before me/my flight arrived (Northwest made the choice to put my baggage on an earlier flight - I didn't). My baggage was stored in the Omaha airport by Northwest personnel (Northwest made that choice - I didn't). When I asked Northwest Omaha personnel about my baggage, they failed to tell me that my baggage was already in their possession (Northwest made an error). Northwest's errors cost me 113.41 because I had to pay for their baggage handling/mis-read computer system mistakes. When they failed to find my baggage (which was in their possession at Omaha airport's baggage claim area), I had to shop for "bare essentials" at WalMart at 10:30 p.m. in a city that I'm unfamiliar with --in order to be prepared for client meetings the next day. Northwest claims that they're customer focused and they admitted to making an error, but they would only reimburse me for 50.00 even though I produced the WalMart receipt.

I have also not cashed the 50.00 check because of the terms on the check -- cashing the check releases them from their 113.41 obligation. I have informed Northwest Customer Care that I will no longer fly Northwest/Delta.

Jessie of Elkhorn, WI May 6, 2009

My Husband and I went from milwaukee, WI.to Panama City Fl. with one stop with lillte complaints. How ever Panama City airport made are trip hell, and I'm sure other people feel the same way we do.There was a women and a man checking the bags and more than happy to tell everyone how they packed right or not and as Loud as they could, They took thing from my bag and put it in my husbands how did thy know we were together we did not stand by each other.

I have two pairs of earrings missing one was gold and one was gold with five diamonds that looks like my wedding band, Who knows whos wearing them. If the people that worked there that day are not happy (they acted like they hated there jobs) Tell them to find New Jobs, I will think twice before going to Panama City airport again

Carol of Portland, OR May 14, 2009

I travelled from Green Bay WI on May 3, 2009. I paid to have my luggage shipped thru' to PDX OR. In the bottom of my suitcases was an inspection notice notifying me my bags had been inspected. I had carefully packed my cases. Both cases were 'ripped' thru, items were not in a fashion that would continue to protect items i had wrapped. when the items were placed back in my small bag, the hairspray was crammed in, dispensing the whole container contents into the clothes, bags, and then suitcase itself.

My new swim suit is ruined, as the spray will not come from the seams, as well as the seams of the new suitcase. I also had a new cosmetic bag, that was soaked, thgis also will not clean. i woiuld like very much for these items to be replaced. The price of the swimsuit is 25, the price of the suitcase is 40. The cosmetic case was a gift from my niece, i am unsure of the price for that item. Thank-you for your review of this note, and your response.

Pat of Wilmette, IL May 6, 2009

I bought a round trip ticket from Boston MA through Minneapolis to Cedar Rapids Iowa for May 1st, returning May 3rd. I left a bag with a pair of dress shoes on the flight to Minneapolis. Upon realizing this in Iowa, I called and was informed that they could not send the shoes to me, I would have to pick them up at the airport within 5 days or they would be donated to charity. Please. I cannot afford to fly somewhere to get my items back, I would be glad to pay for shipping especially for something worth at least 100. Luckily, I would be back there soon. Upon Returning, I realized that I had accidentally bought a ticket for May 10th instead of the 3rd. I called and was informed that the charge to switch the flight was !50, so I bought a cheaper seat instead, planning to cancel the return trip and save some money. When I arrived in Minneapolis for the shoes, I was informed that they were not there and the manager told me that "Another service" empties the planes of all lost items and insinuated that "they" could still have them- basically theft. This is no way to run a lost and found. Adding insult to injury, I found that I could not cancel my return trip even a week before. I was offered to have the same trip in credit for a whole year, but that's assuming I'd be back in Cedar Rapids and willing to pay the !50 charge plus the difference if the flight was more expensive, and very restrictive because I can only fly that route. Really Northwest? FLIGHTS ARE 150! If the switch charge is as much as a new flight, there is really no point. Also, when trying to cancel my flight online, I was unable to use my credit card number to find the reservation which really worries me. A phone representative with access to the database was also unable to locate it. Needless to say, I feel cheated and robbed by Northwest's policies and actions and will never fly it again. I know I am not that frequent of a flyer, but businesses that turn away people who have spent 900 in these tough economic times will not last.

Ted of Howell, MI April 19, 2009

I have been accumulating frequent flyer miles from travel and a NWA credit card primarily to upgrade when traveling overseas which I do with my wife once a year of so. There have been more and more restrictions -- mostly inexpicable -- placed on upgrades over the years, particularly for overseas flights. But this most recent one takes the cake. The online coach fare for a trip this June From Detroit to Venice Italy via Amsterdam is about 1,100. But to upgrade to business class requries a fare of about 3,000 plus the 60,000 miles and only upgrades on one of the two legs.

So just for fun I checked how much it is to just buy a business class ticket -- 3,200 and it's business class on both legs! My inquiry on the NWA web site comlaint area asking why I should not conclude that FF miles are effectively worthless for upgrades went unanswered. I really feel like the whole WorldPerks thing is really a bait & switch.

Lou Ann Evans of Kentwood, MI April 2, 2009

On February 15,2009 I was due to fly out of Detroit to Tampa Bay and to return on February 27,2009 This was a once in a lifetime deal for me, because all I had to pay for was my ticket. All other accomodations were going to be covered by some dear friends of mine when I arrived. I say once in a lifetime deal, because my friends are in their mid- eighties and who knows how long they will be with us. I am disabled, so money is tight and it took me a while to save up for my ticket. In the two weeks before I was to depart I had four deaths involving family and a couple of very close friends. Two days before I was to depart, I see on the news about the commercial airline that crashed killing all on board!

Now this put me right over the edge. It was the straw that broke the camel's back! You see, my disability is severe depression and high anxiety. I have dealt with this for over twelve years and am under a phychiatrists care. I do take medication, but in some situations, they don't do much good. I sent letters from my doctor to the airlines verifing my illness. GOD, himself, could not have got me on that plane that day. I am also a first-time flyer which did not help the anxiety. If I push the issue to much, I end up in the hospital,and I did not want to end up in a strange hospital in Florida.

Needless to say the airlines denied me my request for any kind of a refund, so, I am out 222.00 dollars and no vacation! They did say I could use it towards another ticket, but once I get where ever I would go, I would have to get on the plane, and come back home because my friends have come back to Michigan. I no longer have the free accomodations I had in February, and certainly can't afford any by myself. It is very clear to me that Northwest Airlines just doesn't care, and according to all the complaints I read, they are still making money off suckers like me.

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