Elite status has nothing to do with being contacted / not being contacted in my experience. Prior to being NW elite, I've been notified by telephone. These days NW will often make notifications by email / text pager (goto nwa.com and sign up for notifications).

A few months ago I did get a call from them one morning advising me my noon flight was cancelled and they wanted to re-book me on an earlier flight. I allowed them to do that and then checked the web myself. It turned out my noon flight was canceled but was replaced with a new flight using SF3 equipment.

I called NW back, explained my original flight was cancelled, that I was now booked on a 10am, but I found on the net that they had created a new noon flight, but on different equipment - so they switched me back to the noon flight (operated by Mesaba with a new flight #).

Anyways - I always check a day before on the web and then check again before I leave for the airport. I am also signed up for email / text paging notification, but depending on where I'm at, I don't always have access to my email or my text pager -- thus a phone call or a visit to their website.

If there is a problem, they will make alternative arrangements for you via the phone including putting you onto another carrier if necesary. It's been awhile since they've re-booked me onto another carrier over the phone, but I still had to goto the NW desk at the airport for the endorsement.

Best,

SDF_Traveler

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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Ben Franklin