Just thought it would be cool to share some moments when NW staff deviated from the scripted norm to add a little color to the gray bird with a red tail.

I'll start with two examples.

DCA-MSP afternoon flight with a captain who gave the safety briefing in a fake Scandanavian accent, inviting us to "get the lawn chairs off the wings" and follow along on the card "next to the barf bag in the seat pocket."

He made similar announcements during the flight, including singing "On Wisconsin" as we flew over MSN.

And then there was the afternoon MSP-MKE flight. As we were pushing back the captain stopped the plane and announced that an engine warning light was on and we'd have to return to the gate, which we did.

While we waited on the mechanics, the captain came back into the cabin, pulled out his guitar and harmonica and performed for nearly an hour while we drank ice water served by the FA's.

An hour later, we tried pushing back again. Same problem.

This time we were sent back into the terminal.

The third time wasn't the charm.

An hour later we boarded again. Same thing. We sat for a few minutes. More ice water and harmonica before they cancelled the flight.

As we got off the plane we lined up for new boarding passes -- which were ready -- and scurried off to board a plane bound for MSN. There were 52 pax on the MKE flight that needed to be rebooked and 52 empty seats on the MSN flight. I ran to the gate for the MSN flight and was the first to board, announcing to the surprised FA that there were 51 people behind me and we were making an unscheduled stop at MKE!

That's a fine example of great Northwest Employees.....

I think I've flown with the harmonica playing pilot. Leaving ONT on the 6:50 a.m. flight, he walked throught the cabin, greeted every first class passenger and it sounded like he randomly greeted people in the back. The while the plane was being pushed back, he played a few bars on his harmonica before telling us the route.

The whole flight was a delight; the FA in the forward cabin greeted every passenger by name. Sure she used her list, but it was still a nice gesture.

I sent a compliment in to Beth S. about that flight.

tom

Ah, the infamous harmonica playing captain, yet another sighting (listening)...

I first heard him many years ago when he was on the "9s" out of MDW-MSP.

I heard he was "upgraded" to A319/A320 doing california flights.

Did he do the train whistle, its time to leave?

One of the deviating from the scripts from the FAs on NW I heard was after the double bells before landing said "Badda Boom, Badda Bing, Ladies and Gentlemen there is the double ding we are about to land"...

Hooverer

I forgot about that! Yes, he did. (Unfortunately, we never left!)

Never had the Harmonica playing captain, but I once did have an FA, as they were going through the safety procedures, say "And if you haven't ridden in a car in the past 40 years, this is called a seat belt - to operate it...."

I thought that was pretty funny.

I rode LAX/MEM last year on this Pilot's ship.

When he made his first announcement (adding a few bars from the harp) I asked the FA if she could check if he was in fact the lengendary Northwest DC9 Harp Piilot and had upgraded to flying A320's?

Shortly thereafter the pilot came out of the cockpit, looked me up and wanted to know how I knew he used to fly DC9's.

I told him that he was a legend on FT.

He wanted the URL of the posts about him, which I quickly gave him so he could get back to flying his ship.

Another example of FT working its magic!

RC

Ahhhh.....I had a DL FA on a flight from GSP (she looked like Juliana Margulies' twin sister, BTW) begin with: "Who doesn't know how to fasten a seat belt?"

Obviously, you people DON'T UNDERSTAND. This is obviously a CONSIPIRACY to DISTRACT loyal NW Elites from the new R CLASS HORROR. While we DESERVING customers sit in the BACK, NW tries to DISTRACT us from our UTTER MISERY by using humor. While you people are laughing, the SKY IS FALLING. DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND I'M SITTING IN BACK ON A $175 RT TRANSCON V FARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!

FC was bad enough on that $175 fare, but imagine ME SITTING IN BACK!!!!!

Stace,
Can only use so many in one post. You may loose your priviliges.

Another R Class Conspiracy denier! I've lost the ONLY privilege that matters -- UPGRADES !!!

This Stace sounds like kidvintage who frequently used capital letters and in his posts ranting on NW's new "R" Class

Here's a link to some more FA & Pilot deviations from script that someone just posted in Travelbuzz. Pretty funny stuff

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=317006

Noooh. That's a Minnesotan accent, and it's very real.

The pilot with the harmonica and guitar is a Capt. from MEM on the airbus. Catp. Dan. I have worked with him several times. I have only had delays when with him, but he is great to have at such times. However he takes them out in the van on the ride to the hotel also. He has a great song he made up when we got to DTW and they had trouble getting the jetbridge to the AC. The song was called "The AGENT".