My flight from PHX to DCA through MEM this afternoon was delayed by 2 hours which would have made me miss the connection from MEM. Hence I asked to be put on the red-eye tonight through DTW tomorrow morning and that is delayed too making me miss that flight from DTW. So finally I have asked to be put on the flight tomorrow morning. I was told by the CSR that any compensation claims would have to be made only at the airport. What would be an appropriat compensation for this delay by over 17 hours?

NWA could not get me out on any other flight on any other airline today.

DLr

What was the reason for the delay?

You don't say why NW1794 was delayed. However according to nwa.com the redeye is the same metal that then flies on to DCA so you should be ok. I know that doesn't answer your compensation question, but at least you can still get to DCA by the A.M.

Except NW could use a different plane for the second leg --

Bob H

Anything is possible, but NW260 shows arriving at A74 at 0545 and continuing on to DCA from A74 leaving as scheduled at 0630. Either way, he would make the connection.

The delays were due to delays in incoming flights. Flight 260 was supposed to fly on to DCA, but because it was delayed NWA changed the 2nd flight which meant that I would not have made the connection.

Do some due diligence and find out if the incoming flights were MTC delayed. Despite what NWA is telling you the MTC opperations are not going as smoothly as they want us to believe.

Once you have your facts you can press that much harder for significant compensation. If you can catch them in a lie you can really work the system. If I have time I'll call the station and ask someone there why a flight was delayed.

I did that once on a CO/NW flight combo and got a hotel and a voucher and a discount coupon. So it pays to stand up for yourself. It NEVER hurts to cultivate a friendship with a front line person at your home airport. One quick call and if they're working you can find out what the real story is. Often it's the same as the "Official" story but sometimes it isn't.

Good luck in your "quest"!

What about when delayed by 12+hours (i.e. overnight) due to cancelled incoming flight for NW-operated, DL-issued award tickets? Should I have letters sent off to NW or to DL or both?

I'd do both if it were me!

Maybe I'm missing something but last night it looked like, even with the delay, you would make the connection via DTW. And even though they did switch aircraft in DTW, it certainly seems that you would have made the connection:

Departs: Phoenix-Sky Harbor Int'l, AZ ( PHX ) Arrives: Detroit-Wayne County Int'l, MI (DTW)

Departure Date: February 21 Arrival Date: February 21

Gate: 26 Gate: A36

Scheduled: 11:40PM Scheduled: 5:13AM

Actual: 12:25AM Actual: 5:39AM

Aircraft: 757-200R Weather: DTW

Note: Delayed awaiting inbound flight crew.


Status: Arrived Sign up for



Departs: Detroit-Wayne County Int'l, MI (DTW) Arrives: Washington-Reagan National, DC ( DCA )

Departure Date: February 21 Arrival Date: February 21

Gate: A74 Gate: 4

Scheduled: 6:30AM Scheduled: 7:56AM

Actual: 6:26AM Actual: 7:44AM

Aircraft: 757-200R Weather: DCA

Note: Flight scheduled for ontime departure.


Status: Arrived

The NWA CSR told me that due to the 1 hour delay out of PHX, the flight would get in to DTW only at 6.26 a.m. and that since the connecting flight was at 6.30 a.m, I would not be able to make it. Hence he recommended that I re-book for the next day. I do not know how/why the flight landed an hour earlier when it took off an hour later.