In the midst of Northwest Airlines cancelling flights nationally (they did so repeatedly with no notice) I purchased (in July) two non-refendable tickets for travel to Wisconsin (from Philly) on September 6.

Two days after purchase my health deteriorated to the point that I had two surgeries (one on August 21st after which I was told I'd need a second procedure in September and I was not permitted to travel to Wisconsin pending the major operation).

I phoned Northwest on August 25th (far in advance of my September 6th travel) and told them of my medical situation and offered to document it fully with letters from surgeon, hospital, etc. The 2 tickets cost $490 and I do not have that kind of money to simply "lose".

The Northwest "rep" was unyielding and unsympathetic: no refunds, no exceptions EXCEPT (she actually said this) "if the passenger dies before travel dates". After noting the $100 per ticket penalty she said I'd have a credit to fly their greedy airline for one year.

I told her (calmly but internally upset) that by word of mouth and the Internet I'd tell my story often, including Northwest's robotic implementation of the "no exceptions" rules, in the hopes that even 1 (preferably many more than one) person would after hearing my tale choose to fly any airline but Northwest Airlines.

The story is true, I am on the road to recovery medically but it would make me feel good to learn even one of you in cyberspace understand my frustration at the time I was too weak (medically) to do much. My "cancelled" seats were of course sold within one day.

Unjust enrichment at the expense of a "mere passenger" for a miserable, greedy exemplar of 21st century air travel. PLEASE DO NOT FLY NORTHWEST.

Hi i need your help please tell me this country is not so 9-11 scared that a soldier can not get home for his grandfathers funeral. My husband was informed today that there unit in WA is on alert for iraq.This will be his second tour.He gets a phone call not an hour later that his grandfather has passed away in arkansas. So now he has the stress from iraq and the death to bear and he has fallen apart fom it all.I remembered that we had a round trip ticket purchased for my step daughter and she ended up not using half her round trip ticket. The airline told us at the time we cancelled they would give us the credit back to use later.We cancelled her flight in august. I call the airline tonight and talk with the assistant and she states the airline is sorry that they can't give us the credit we were told we would have and that even though he purchased the ticket for a minor on his card he can't recieve a refund . I advised the clerk i would like to speak with a manager as i can't believe under these circumstances they would be unwilling to help him get home to his family before being shipped to iraq.I ask to speak with a managerexplain our whole story and ask if there is any way we can get some type of help with this. She apologizes for our misfortune and then proceedes to tell me that we had got a good deal on the round trip ticket we bought back in june and if anything we should owe them 100.00 and should just be greatfull we saved money on his daughters ticket.She states it it not her fault that it's all beacuse of 9-11.At a time where someone should be understnading she goes above and beyond to be not only condesing but downright insulting.I advised her i couldn't deal with her and i needed to hang up.
Not only am i appaled but i am heartbroken as i have to climb these stairs and look at my husband sitting in the dark, because he wants to see his poppas face one more time.I have to explain to him the airline has no intrest in honoring his air fare credit and would only help us if we could pay full price for a ticket. i have been sitting here stalling for 30 minutes gathering the courage to tell him.

I have never in my life been treated with such disregard and this will forever be stuck in my memory that NWA employees could care less about my grief and need to get my husband home to bury his grandfather before he has to go back for a second time to protect this country and her and put his life on the line, and oh yes we should be gratefull in our grief we saved 100.00 last summer.

This is unbelievable. Yesterday my parents (very old) boarded a flight from SFO to Hyderabad via Amsterdam and as I am typing this, they are currently stranded in the Amsterdam airport, because KLM cancelled the connecting flight (taking it away from the schedule completely) and never informed us. Poor people they cannot even speak english, and so soft people, they were denied a hotel accomodation and they are now stranded in the Schipol airport for 26 hours. The next flight is next day the same time. All they have is $20 US dollars in hand, and KLM wont even give an accomodation to them, worst case, they did not even give any food coupons.

When I tried to reach NWA/KLM in US, each of these airlines blamed the other one, and it took 8 hours for me to get some one on the phone. Without any luck, I called Schipol airport and all the KLM numbers in Amsterdam to find out if they are atleast safe. Absolutely irresponsible answers and we were never able to reach them. Atlast my dad borrowed a cell phone from a fellow passenger and called us to US, saying that they are sleeping in the terminal itself.

Before even boarding the flight, the airline manager named, CADIZ (first name) behaved so rudely with us, as if he never wanted to talk to any asians in the first place. Because of all the mess created by NWA/KLM my old parents are suffering now. We are common middle class people. I really wish God had given me enough resources or help to pursue legal action against these irresponsible airlines, which provide so much of hardship to common passengers like us.

If anyone here, anyone in this forum can help me to pursure legal action against KLM, pls PM me, I would really apprecaite it.

I flew from Alaska to Alabama in June 2008 with my two year old. We had to take three flights. WHen I booked online, there weren't two seats together on one of the flights. I ended up with a seat assignment online for myself, but none for my son. When I got to the Anchorage airport, I asked for them to assign us seats together. She said she couldn't do it because I had a seat assignment for one of us and that I would have to get it taken care of in the second airport just before that particular flight. I said that I had less than an hour to change planes, change my son's diaper, and find food for him in the airport as we started flying at 1am. She still wouldn't fix it. So, I arrive in the second airport, run to the other gate and wait in line for for gate staff to arrive. Then I tell them the problem and ask for seats together. She says they are full and will have to wait until just before boarding to see what she can do but can't guarantee anything. They start the boarding process and then she finally calls me back up to the counter and gives me two different rows that are close to each other. I said that wouldn't work, that my son was two and couldn't sit by himself. She replied that she couldn't do anything about it. I asked what I was supposed to do. Her exact words were, "Get on the plane and beg."

I boarded the plane and told the flight attendants at the door the problem. They said, no problem, just sit together at one of our assigned seats and ask whoever came for the second seat to move. If there was a problem, let them know. I did that and the person was willing to move b/c she got an aisle instead of middle seat out of the deal.

I will NEVER fly Northwest (and now Delta) ever again. Plane reservation systems should automatically fix any seat issue when you book online with a child traveling. The system should detect the child passenger and ensure that the child is seated with the parent. Its that simple.

I am writing with disappointment with your airline. My son and I left COS to fly 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 your control, the crew being late to the airport is. I live far north from COS where the weather is always worst then down at COS 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 ( I do it everyday like your company). 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
What do I want, I would love to ask for a refund for our flight on March 25th but I know that will not happen. I am hoping that your company 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 with the staff at our school but our students and parents. Flave them just think what it would be like to be in the consumers place.
I am hoping to get a response either by email or by a letter in the mail.