<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Unimatrix One:
IP:
Just a couple of other thoughts. Have you looked into NW's contract of carriage or the rules for the fare that you purchased? If your fare in fact allows standby for later flights on the day of travel (which several knowledgeable sources here have said it does), this must be written somewhere in the rules or contract of carriage, right?? If you could point to some rule in your dealings with NW, it might clear up the problem.
Also, I hope you are planning to contact your credit card issuer to dispute the $100 charge.</font>
I think several of you are missing the point on the standby question. Same day standbys are legal before and after but there is no guarantee that a seat will be available. If all coach seats are taken in subsequent flights, I don't believe there is a technical obligation to accomodate you. However, from a customer service point, this was a colossal screw-up, but apparently all coach seats were filled that day.
I'd try for a refund from customer service, but if I wanted to fly NW again, I don't think I'd hold up the CC payment.
I still think this was a case where IP rubbed somebody's fur the wrong way. Little people exerting control in their little worlds. Of course, I wasn't there...maybe IP was a total shXX and I'd have been looking for a way to make his life miserable also.