Eidetic

You're abroad. You need to reroute or return to the States immediately. It's a holiday where you are ... overseas NW offices close, and hold times on the res line lengthen. You call your angel at your home WC, rather than the Elite line (more hold time), and your angel gets you on the next flight.

The biggest gap in online services is the inability to rebook.

alliance

^ ^ ^ That's what I was talking about. The WC's let you build relationships with agents who can become true angels for you when you really need help.

lambrettaStarr

I don't have any personal angels at the worldclubs, but more than one has saved me spending the night at an MSP or DTW hotel.

The classic example is a flight I was involuntarily bumped from going to MCI due to a late arrival. GA told me I was spending the night in DTW, and there were absolutely no options. Headed to the WC. The WC agent got me on a different flight that was oversold and someone else got bumped instead. Brilliant! When I was at the gate, the GA asked how I had gotten a boarding pass for the flight, told him the world club, and the person that was bumped was RIGHT there. They were mad. But I apparently fly more. sorry!

mjcewl1284

They are there so people like me don't start taking the booze and packing it in my bag.

mot29

I like the DC folks too. But the HNL agents will let you stow your bags while you leave the airport during a long connection to go to L&L for a katsu chicken take-out for the long flight back to the US (and even draw you a map). I wonder if the DCA agents could give you a pass to the north pier of the C terminal to get a 5 Guys burger at DCA.

dan1431

Thumbs up to MEM agents and the ladies that work the low number gates workgroup at DTW who have always been super helpful.

Dan

WIRunner

they gave me a nice lil upgrade on an MKE to LAX flight, and got me an exit row on a OMA-MSP flight. Also, one of the girls in the MSP WC is a big Yankee's fan, so we had a nice chat. And they seem to like brownies. Not that I would know that this is a virtual guarantee to get an upgrade, but it certainly helped.

geoffco

Like others, I like the fact that the agents in the clubs don't seem put out answering simple questions that most gate agents would roll their eyes at.

I've had several great experiences. Just recently, an agent in the DTW North club tracked me down in one of the cubicles to tell me of a gate change for my flight.

Another time I misconnected in DTW to the last flight out. NW and the gate agent blamed it on weather (it was crew delay in origin city) and told me I was on the hook for a hotel. WC agent got me a comp room at DTW LaQuinta.

My best experience, however, was 2 years ago in LAX. I arrived from NRT, went through customs, and discovered that I had left a bag of souviners in the overhead. The WC agent called the ramp, a ramper located my bag, and the WC agent went down to the gate and onto the plane to get the bag for me.

To me, club membership is indespensible and the best $250/yr that I spend.

PersonalFlotationDevice

I second the vote on the high quality of the MEM WC staff.

Exleftseat

It is true, in my experience ( limited, granted ) the hometown HNL girls are the best. Considering the fact, that us "hawaiians" don't get the benefit of automatic elite upgrades, They have even helped me getting bumped to work
out in my favor. In my opinion they are #1.

carpboy

I've nothing but good experiences as well. Back in the early 90's I happened to find myself seated next to one of the DTW agents upstairs in a 744. We had a good conversation and became 'friends' after that. I see her as I pass through DTW, she has known me from pre-kid, to birth and now has met the 9 year old.

MNnative

In my experience, the HNL staff is #1, with MSP (C concourse) close behind, and Narita (upstairs) tied with Incheon for 3rd. My HNL ranking is based almost exclusively on their greeting, personal attention, and farewell when you leave. Oh, wait, my adopted home has an expression for that...Aloha spirit. They live it every time I'm in there.

Wildman

You have got to be kidding...HNL....I would rank them dead last! The staff and the WC there in general (are there others that would agree?) You must have been still been on a high from the beautiful island surroundings.

alliance

Their "club" may be the dumps but the HNL WC agents are tops! They have gone out of their way for me several times.

SchmutzigMSP

You'd be in the minority of FTers, I'm afraid. The WC ladies at HNL have been some of the best front-line staff I've ever encountered from NWA. They've remembered me by name between visits months apart, they've helped me when I've had issues on another airline entirely, not even SkyTeam, they suggest places to eat off the airport and will quietly watch my stuff if I choose to leave the room. They are also a joy to chat with if you've just got some downtime.

I think you need to re-visit the HNL WC with a more open mind.