I hate DTW
 

Every time I have had a connection through DTW, I have had a problem.
Invariably, I have to go from C terminal to A terminal, and usually with a short connection time. My last trip through DTW on 6/3/06, I was flying RDU-DTW-OMA. Due to weather, flights were delayed out of DTW, which is where my RDU-DTW flight was coming from. We left RDU almost an hour late, and after arriving in DTW I swear it took 25+ minutes from touchdown until we pulled up to the gate! By this time, I had less than 20 minutes to get myself, Mr.Pickinp, daughters ages 4 and 7, AND my 80 year old grandmother from A30 to C2. The GA meeting the flight told me not to worry as 'everthing is running late' but per the monitors, my DTW-OMA flight was still on schedule for 7:22 pm. No time to stop for food or bathroom. The 7 year old and I ran ahead, and thank goodness made it to the gate and we were all able to get on the plane. The FA was suprised that my family and a few others made the flight as someone had told her that the flight would not be full, and she had let other pax sit where ever they wanted, which meant when I got on, there was already a family in our seats in rows 5 & 7. We pulled away from the gate only to sit on the tarmac for 25 minutes, waiting for our turn to take off, and for an issue with cargo to be hammered out by lawyers.
The cargo issue must have been that 50% of the baggage that was suppossed to be on the flight (including mine) didnt make it (but that is another rant!)

I fly out of DTW and into DTW every week. I love it :) I love the WC's. I love the layout. I love (usually) the people working there.

Don't blame weather issues on DTW. Try ORD if you don't like DTW ;)

Sorry your times in DTW were differnet!

It sounds like less an issue with DTW and more a function of the weather. I've never had a problem moving quickly within the airport and neither, it seems, did you. How many other airports let you move with children from one terminal/concourse to another within 20 minutes? Try it at DFW or IAH and see how successful you are.

Personally, I think DTW's NW MacNamara terminal is one of the most intelligently deisgned airports in the world. I'm sorry to hear about your experiences, though. No GA should let people sit where they wish. The FAs can do it but should wait until the door is closed.

In general, DTW is much more user friendly than MSP

I like DTW, but I really love MSP, because it is home!!!

Sorry about your experiences.

I agree that Terminal A is brilliant.

The transition from A to C is no worse than other major airports -- typically, at MSP I end up going from C12 to F10, which is no fun either.

Steve

I love DTW; and IMHO, A to C is not bad at all; and I also like the tunnel.

Now, C to B at CVG... uggggggg.... how I hate that shuttle bus....

I also do a weekly (at least) departure from and arrival into DTW. I've had positive experiences, but have found that if I arrive at (I believe?) A34 whichever is the last gate before the split, the GA cannot see the aircraft arrive and I've had to sit there to be deboarded occasionally.

I do like the fact that going from A4 to B2, I pass by 3 WorldClubs to stop in for a drink!

WOW you must have never had went to the OLD DTW. Now that was bad.

The vast majority of my domestic connections are in DTW or EWR. DTW is light years ahead of EWR in every respect. Late flights, impossibly short connections, etc. describe 100% of my EWR flights and 1% of my DTW flights. IMO, DTW is easily the best major domestic hub for connections.

OMG... you must be kidding. You meant to type "cattle truck," right?! ;)

("shuttle bus" is being too generous, IMO)

I hated the old DTW. When I lived in Japan in the early 90s, I was furious with NW for ending the ORD flights and routing through DTW. The first time I flew through MSP, I thought I was in heaven. :eek:

The new DTW is a vast improvement and far and away my favorite domestic hub. ^

somehow it always seems I manage to get gate 1-10 or 70's.... not fun.

you are correct, it is rather generous;
but, then again, I am a generous guy.... :D

I would have insisted that the FA move them. Elite seating is meaningless if the FA's take it upons themselves to permit first-come, first serve seating.

Aside from ruffling elites' feathers, free-for-all seating would really rankle those who have paid for specific CoachChoice seats.

Try Hotlanta in the summer time also PM flights are notoriously screwed up... Love DTW.

PS Hope I get out of ORD on time tonight...

Exactly.

Is there a better hub?
 

Given my nightmarish experiences at ORD and IAD, DTW has been incredible.

Now, I remember the dark days of the early 1990s, when MSP was the "modern" hub in the NW system, so maybe that is coloring my view.

But is there a better hub in the US today? Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas -- all stink. I've had pretty good luck with Denver, but it is easier to just take a transcon than connect to the east coast through DEN. Is there something better?

DTW is an outstanding hub. The nearly brand new, spacious, clean, generally well climate controlled A concourse, the WorldClubs, the decent restaurants, the fountain (or watersculpture or whatever), the tram, the lack of delays, and, of course, the Oraoxygen spa all make DTW a great place to connect. The only time I had a problem there was getting stranded overnight by a blizzard - fortunately was able to secure a room at the Westin.

This thread made me think about all other major hubs, and I have to say that overall I think DTW is the best hub of any US carrier. I'm a CO flyer and really like our hubs. I like EWR in the sense that the C concourses are modern, the Presidents Clubs are nice, and the selection of international nonstops is great. But the delays are so bad it renders the airport largely useless to me for domestic travel (I live in DC). CLE is great because it has few delays and decent transcon offerings, but the terminal is small and it only has one transcontinental flight, that currently only operates seasonally (CLE-LGW). IAH, IMO, also is a great airport, but the only truly nice area is the new E concourse and adjacent areas.

What else is out there? ORD - puh-leeez. ATL and CVG are stuck in the late 80's/early 90's, with ATL generally being worse. DEN is ok, but I don't really fly UA much. DFW is a nightmare; PHL is no prize. CLT is ok. MSP is stuck in the late 80s.

DTW may not have as many international departures as other carriers' hubs, and the weather might get a bit dodgy in the winter. But all things considered, including the terminal, destinations served, frequencies, the restaurants, hotel, WorldClubs, stores, and Oraoxygen, I think DTW very well may be the best fortress hub in the US.

Those lawyers must not have been charging by the hour :D

And like umguy said, you should have been in the old craphole terminal...
heck, you should have worked there, in the old F concourse with 3 full widebodies in F9, F12 and F14, two of them with a mechanical delay during a thunderstorm when nobody is allowed on the tarmac to either fix or load the airplanes...now that was FUN! :p

sorry about your troubles at the airport though and better luck next time.

It does seem weather is your issue. I always try to book my connections through dtw versus mem or msp because it is such a great airport! From the world clubs to huge tvs at the gates to tons of restaurants - it is my airport of choice.

Ditto

DTW is by far my favorite NW hub. However, I wish they would scatter some high-speed internet terminals throughout the terminal just like they have in MSP. I enjoy being able to get ahead on my e-mail while I'm waiting for a flight. The only option for that at DTW is the Online Cafe (I think that's right).

You know you can still visit parts of it right? They just moved the old C concourse to MSP and renamed it G (and I think part of it is now called A) :D

After so many years of customer complaints and dealing with the poor condition of the old Davey terminal, I bet some civic leaders around here would love to read this thread!

Wow, very surprising to see a thread like this.

DTW has to be one of the nicest major airports in the country where one can connect.

DTW is one of the best airports....
 

I fly NWA BECAUSE of DTW airport. It doesn't have the food selection of MSP (but I still get there regularly too), but it CLEARLY is better than ORD. In fact, I joke that DTW has become my home away from home.

My favorite moment was when a late flight was delayed two hours and about six of us were the only non-workers in either terminal. Very surreal, but fun to walk around (though security doesn't allow people into the north half of Terminal A after hours.

TD

I love DTW....It's Detroit that I can't stand.

Nice :rolleyes:

beats BOS...

No problem... don't leave the terminal and keep right on flying.

Agreed. DTW is one of the reasons I fly NW, along with the main WorldClub having showers. And, strangely, my first time through it (12/04) was the worst. It's only gotten better since then.

I love DTW, I love Detroit, and I love NW. :) Sitting in MEM right now and wishing especially hard that I had thought to connect through DTW.

Really? I think DTW is one of the best. I agree traversing over to the B gates is a bit of a walk, but you can come into A1 and out of A70 and be there in 4-5 mins with the tram. I usually stop in for a cigarrete at the Fox bar en-route and can still make tight connections...

Despite the somewhat overwhelming support for DTW here. The OP does have a point that the trip from the far end of A to C is quite a haul. The first time I flew our of C43 ( I think that's the las gate out there), I felt like I had walked through two time zones.

That said, I think DTW is one of the better hub airports in the US. I do think that aircraft have to spend way to much taxi time given the wierd layout of the airport and the terminal. It must cost NW a fortune in excess fuel. There is some decent food but often its miles away from you are. Like when you are stuck in the A70' and the best fare is taco bell.

The WC are really great at DTW. Had a three hour layover there earlier this week and I got more done there the I would at the office!!!

True the OP's terminal run is a long haul, IMHO DTW is one of the nicest hubs of any airline and any airport. I can't tell you of the nightmarish terminal "runs" I've had looking for gates/terminals. ORD is crazy, EWR & JFK have a massive lack of signs, etc... Suprisingly, I think CO's hub at IAH isn't even as well organized as DTW.

I guess it is not really DTW itself that I hate, it is just the routing through there that I dont like. I know that there are much worse airports out there, and I agree ATL and ORD are INSANE! It seems as though every time I have that routing, I have problems with ridiculously short connections. The previous time I went through DTW, I missed my connecting flight due to a sucession of delays (both weather and mechanical). I was forced to spend the night in Detroit, and NW refused to pay for my hotel since the cause of the longest delay was weather, although I would have made my connection if not for the subsequant mechanical delay. The GA handing out the packets to the pax who did not make connections was rude. I couldnt get a flight out until 11 am the next day, and then they couldnt even get me from DTW to OMA. I had to go DTW-MSP-OMA. I must just have bad karma at DTW.

Considering the number of moving walkways, and the tram, I can't believe we're evening talking DTW and ATL in the same thread.

Yes, the distances are rather significant in DTW (A/B/C are all straight lines), but at least the architects put in mechanical movement. I've done my share of A1->B72 (or whatever the last gate is) in ATL, and DTW is a walk in the park.

Steve B.

If you don't like short layovers, I'd avoid the 25 minute ones available in Memphis. :)

I might suggest that the next time you book this itinerary that you book by schedule, if possible, and then look for a longer connection.