Originally Posted by feedmeflyer
Why do people hate the DC-9??? Pick a reason. Some of them are as much as 40 years old (in fact, as recently as a couple years ago NW was still flying the very first DC-9 that ever came off the assembly line back in 1965! It was originally delivered to DL); anytime you fly one you are almost guaranteed a mechanical of some sort; the seats--even in F--are worn and threadbare; they are noisy; they are gas-guzzlers. They are the Pits!! I could go on.....
The DC-9 is a great aircraft. Built by Douglas to be as tough as a tank. I am not sure where you got your info on the mechanical delays above but the people at NW that I know, as well as first hand experience, say that the DC-9 is one of the more, if not most, reliable planes in the fleet. I can not recall a mechanical delay on my dozens of DC-9 flights in the last couple of years.