The situation in question has to do with a recent trip I took on NW. The trip was was nothing more than a slew of rude (and painfully slow) agents, understaffed desks, worn-down aircraft, seats in such disrepair that they caused me considerable back and neck pain during the entire trip, and nearly missed connections for reasons squarely within NW's control. I have posted the original form letter by Mr. Havlicek below:

Dear Mr. xxxxxxx:

Thank you for your efforts to inform us of these experiences that you
encountered while traveling on Northwest.

We want travel on Northwest to be pleasant and enjoyable. The numerous
elements of air transportation provide us with many potential
opportunities to gain the confidence and loyalty of our customers. Correspondence from our passengers often forms the basis for improved operations. Candid feedback like yours enables us to identify specific
areas of concern. I can assure you that every effort will be
made to avoid receiving another letter like the one we earned from you.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact us. Your continued
support means a great deal to Northwest, and I hope that we will have an
early opportunity to restore your confidence.

Sincerely

Greg Havlicek
Supervisor, Customer Relations
Northwest/KLM Airlines


A few days later, I received a TCV of menial value from the carrier. Disgusted, this was my reply to the airline:

Mr. John Dasburg
Chairman & CEO
Northwest Airlines, Inc.
P.O. Box 11875
St. Paul, MN 55111-0875

Dear Mr. Dasburg:
Recently, I wrote to Northwest Airlines concerning the horrific
experiences that I had endured on a trip to Orlando, FL. A few days ago, I received a form letter response from NW, along
with a voucher of menial value.
The response that I received from NW is totally unacceptable. The
response letter did not address any of the major issues that I had faced
while traveling on Northwest Airlines. And considering the magnitude of
the situations that I had encountered, it is my opinion that NW should
have offered nothing less than a complimentary round-trip ticket. As a
NW shareholder and patron, I am shocked and frankly offended by the
response of the carrier to my concerns.

Sincerely,
xxxx xxxxxx

Mr. Havlicek wrote back:

Dear Mr. xxxxxxx,

I have received your reply letter. It is my view that the compensation that NW provided was just considering the circumstances. Therefore, Northwest is unable to provide you with any additional compensation. Thank you again for taking the time to contact us.

Sincerely,

Greg Havlicek
Supervisor, Customer Relations
Northwest/KLM Airlines


And my final reply to NW:

Dear Mr. Dasburg:

I have received the reply concerning my letter to the Company. I am
extremely disappointed yet again by the NW response. Considering that
this
was not the first time that I had incurred major problems with NW, I am
surprised that NW did not try to do more.

At this point, I am very frustrated with NW. However, I am finished
dealing
with a corporation that does not seem to have any true concern for the
customer.

Therefore, I will shortly send a written complaint letter concerning my
encounter with NWA to the U.S. Department of Transportation, so that the
government will be made further aware of the problems of NW. Second, I
will
be sure to inform my boss, Representative xxxxxxx xxxxxxx of New Jersey, of
the
horrid experiences I endured, so that he may cast an informed vote when
the
issue of passenger rights reaches the House floor. And finally, I will
write
letters to the officials of Continental Airlines, a corporation in which
I
also hold equity, so that they, too, are aware of the treatment NW is
giving
to their customers. They may want to take this information into
consideration before entering into any further agreements with NW. Since
I
could not get a sincere message from NW, it is my hope that others can.

Sincerely,

xxxxx xxxxxx

[This message has been edited by avek00 (edited 10-15-1999).]