Due to NW scheduling changes, I called NWA to reschedule me on an earlier flight connecting through DTW, rather than IND - same day, same end points.

Does the e-ticket need to be re-issued? (it's now 6h later and it has not been yet -- the trip is a week away)

Will this effect the automatic upgrade process on day 6 (or 5)? Does the upgrade process care if the ticket is re-issued?

It can take several days to weeks for an e-ticket number to be issued. But rest assured that it will be issued before you fly. If it's not re-issued up to a day or two before your flight, I'd call in to make sure.

I'm not sure how this would effect the EUA process, if at all. My instinct says it wouldn't affect anything, though.

Thanks for the insight...

Doesn't NWA prioritize tickets with sooner departure dates?

Also, when does a ticket actually need to get re-issued? anytime anything changes? or only in certain cases?

I would hate to miss the upgrade due to the ticket not being issued... anyone have experience with this type of situation?

Reissues (no matter what type of change, e.g., date/time, so long as it involves a monetary exchange with NW, i.e., change fee) are required. Reissues are processed in a queue by the reissues ticketing department based on date of departure.

Case in point, we had to change my SO's return trip next month. The change was made the first week of March. The itinerary was finally reticketed last week! So it can be awhile before NW gets around to reticketing you ticket.

If you're really worried.... call Northwest and ask them to "force ticketing". The agent will have to manually call the ticketing department and have them do it for you. It's up to the agent's discretion, so YMMV.

So, in my case a re-issue may not be required? It was done as an involuntary change, since my return flights had a schedule change. I did not pay any fees to NWA. Is this correct?

Any guess on how issuing the actual ticketing affects EUA?

A reservation without a corresponding ticket issued will not be upgraded.

Well, I do have an e-ticket issued - it just has not been re-issued when they changed the routing for me... so, is the flight considered ticketed or not?

Technically it's no longer ticketed, but since it was once ticketed before, you may already be in the queue for upgrades. You could call WorldPerks/Reservations and ask, and see if you get a nice agent that can force the ticketing if you're concerned.

well, I decided to wait until 6 days out to see what would happen... the ticket has still not been re-issued... but the upgrades have already come through for both outbound segments!

So, I think we now know that the actual re-ticketing does not affect the EUA.

It will. NW's system has a bug in it where it will upgrade a reservation if it sees any ticket attached to it. But, each time this has happened to me, they've had to backout my upgrades before the system will let them reissue the ticket. I've then ended up back on the upgrade list. And, if you use a travel agent, it's a huge mess when this happens, which is why our corporate travel agents now reissue my NW tickets within 30 mins now.

I bought it on nwa.com -- and the change was only an hour difference and connecting through DTW rather than IND, with no fee due to involuntary schedule change.

So, maybe the ticket does not need to be re-issued?
What if I show up at the airport and it's not re-issued?
If they re-issue, can't they back out the upgrade and then give it right back?

I think I'll wait and see...

I'm still not sure about the ticket re-issue and whether they have to do it or not - a change is a change, whether it's voluntary or involuntary.

As for the upgrades...they will not manually put you back into "R" class after your ticket is re-issued. If they do re-issue the ticket, they will have to back out your upgrades because they have to re-issue the ticket in the same class of service that you paid for. After that's done, you are put back into the upgrade queue like everyone else (the same way as if you had purchased your ticket the day it was re-issued by NWA). Just because you occupied an "R" seat before the re-issue doesn't mean you will occupy one afterwards. NW agents are not allowed to manually move anyone to the "R" bucket so if the EUA process grabs you for the upgrade you are lucky. However, if first is then sold out or not available for upgrades, you are stuck in the back. Also, to make it worse, there's the possibility that only "crappy" coach seats are left (middle, back of the plane, etc.).

PS - of course with a reissue while you are still in the same cabin you get to keep your originally assigned seats as the computer system doesn't take you off the flight to put you back on. However, again, if you were already upgraded and sitting in first, the system will move you back to your paid class and auto-assign you a coach seat.

-RM

any suggestions on what I should actually do in this case?

I'm now in First with my prefered row 1 seat... and I'm pretty sure the e-ticket still shows the connection through IND, not the DTW route.

Also, what if the ticket is not re-issued by the time I try to check-in? Will that cause me an issue at check-in or at the airport?

There was nothing to worry about... my ticket got re-issued sometime last night and my upgrades and seat assignments stayed in place. So, somehow they re-issued without touching the upgrade to R class - or manually fixed it after re-issuing...