Carolinian

What about newspapers on international flights? Of course, NW (and DL) have for several years reduced the number they brought aboard so that it was questionable if you would get one if you flew in steerage. That is one of the amenities I like on most European carriers - plenty of newspapers.

I wonder how long NW will hold out on free alcohol trans-Atlantic. Cut that out and I will try to schedule my paid flights on AF!

thezipper

This was an agreement between NWA and KLM when they first signed up to share expenses/profits on the TATL route.... I heard that agreement is amendable next year... so free drinks could be coming to and end sooner than you think... all the other majors charge for it in coach. If they dropped spintzels to save a lousy 2 mil, you don't think alcohol is firmly in their cost cutting sights???

The no magazine krap is a lousy excuse... with the adverts that they wrap them with, i really wonder how much it costs....

FlytheTail

Okay, I see your point. But NW surely must realize that for the most part, we have several carrier options. If CO can get me from A to B at the same or slightly higher fare, then why wouldn't I choose them to get a meal, IFE, and a pillow on a longer flight? NW just seems to continue to give us reasons not to fly them.

fromYXU

Good point but look at what is happening in PIT. Passengers have voted in favor of cheaper (and that can be questionable at times) Southwest fares over "better service" but more costly US Airways fares.

You may choose service but the majority of flyers today are choosing cost.

ewj

This is the kind of stuff the unions say they should do to save maoney and the airline exec say OK. IF NWA really wanted tos ave money they would stop flying half empty planes out of IND and MKE, drop flights to Dulles and Kennedy, and drop Delta as a partner.

keithguy

Okay, I can accept that - price is the determining factor.

However, this service reduction does not imply that prices will be lower as a result.

If that's true, then won't passengers "vote in favor" of cheaper Southwest fares and free pretzels over the more costly Northwest Airlines fares?

fromYXU

That is what NW is afraid will happen. The public is already choosing Southwest over USAirways.

keithguy

If that's what NW is afraid of, then why would their solution be to cut back service? What good does cutting (or adding) service do if price is the only thing customers base their decisions on?

If price was the only thing customers base their decisions on, then NW's solution would be to cut prices, no?

DJMeatBall

Requiring passengers to BYOM wouldn't be such a bad thing if the cleaners actually stocked leftover (and clean) recent magazines & reading materials in the magazine racks found throughout the plane.

Either NWA should tell their cleaners to keep them stocked, or NWA should rip out the magazine storage bins.

bostonbali

This is horrible news - not because of the magazine, but b/c of the direction NW is heading!
This is the 1st year I've made NW Elite. I'm going all the way - Platinum. I'm also considering a Lifetime WC membership - sounds like I may want to reconsider...
Wow, it's amazing how many times these companies make stupid short-term gains that cost them long-term profits!

abezebabe

I fly from IND, and NWA is my airline of choice. While I certainly do not fly on every plane leaving from IND, I've been on quite a few this year, and since the mini-hub changes, and I have not been on ONE half-empty plane. FWIW.

DHAST

I wouldn't expect it to either. They do it to maintain or increase their profit margin. As far as the general discussion on price goes, if one ticket is going to cost me $250 and the same ticket on a different carrier is going to cost me $400, I have to have a really, really good reason to spend that extra $150. Inflight movie that I may not want to watch or is heavily edited? Pretzels? Cheap coach meal? A blanket and pillow?

To tell you the truth, I already: Bring my DVD player and a movie that I actually want to watch, bring my own snacks, and will eat before my flight or bring something to eat on the flight (something I actually want to eat, BTW), and I actually bring my own pillow. In other words, if a particular carrier offered "all of that" and charged $150 for the privelege, I'd save the $150.

So, for the time being, NW can cut all they want if they'll still offer the $250 fare. It's getting harder and harder to find, and the only time I've paid more than $350 is for a flight to a city with no competition.

ATP Pilot

Just remember, these cuts are "what the customer wants".

rwill11

They lost 458 million dollars last quarter. If they just didnt run they would have an extra 458 million sure would buy alot of spinzels

TopDawg4OU

I can't wait til we have to bring our own seat cusions. Also, I'm looking forward to bringing my own toilet paper and my own flight attendant. Heck, I can't wait til I bring my own seat belt!

Shoot, wait. Are there any NW corporate lurkers here? Am I giving them any new ideas? Hope not.