IP,

I know for a fact you can same day standby if you miss your original flight, I've done it before. NW actually put me on CO just to get me home from GPT.

And I second the motion to email Customer Relations or whatever it's called. I've done it before, they respond usually within one day, and they more than take care of my concerns. They are very good.

It shocks me someone at NW would suggest you take your business elsewhere. I think if mgmt knew this, severe corrective action might be taken. This is unacceptable, assuming you are a "good" customer. After all, all of us in business know occasionally we run across clients we don't want to work for again, but you don't strike me as the type.

You know, AA has a good product, but no more complimentary domestic upgrades.....on the other hand, we know their int'l upgrade program is much better. I agree, AA overall is a fine airline, and I have no doubt their F product is superior to NW, although I have yet to experience it. But NW keeps treating me right, so I'm staying.

Hope you stick around, I've had nothing but good luck with NW. Every time they don't come through for me (rare), they end up making it right.

AA doesn't do same day standby for free, just so you know. My wife got hosed by this policy in ORD.

AA does do same day standby policy for free (along with others like UA, CO, etc).

Of course all rules are open to interpretations by the employees (as seen in this case).

Edit: US requires payment for standby on discounted tickets.

[This message has been edited by keithguy (edited 05-07-2003).]

US doesn't allow free standby except on fully-refundable fares, IIRC.

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Thank you for choosing Continental Airlines, a proud member of the SkyTeam Alliance.

Still trying to determine why WN doesn't like that since EVERYONE else does.

That would explain why I couldnt find his monthly column in the inflight magazine this month. Sorry to hear that a well liked, and pretty effective customer service vp left. I wonder why he resigned abruptly?

I hope his replacement is customer friendly and carries on the customer building programs and service enhancements in place since the DTW snow fiasco of a few years back. NW has come a long way since then.

US allows standby for $25 if the fare class allows it. I'm not a US flyer, but I researched this for my cousin just last week.

Dirk's column in the May Worldtraveler is in print. He is discussing the improved terminal in NRT although, sadly he resigned effective 4/25/03.

Must print the Worldtraveler Magazine weeks/months in advance...

RC

[This message has been edited by Radiocycle (edited 05-07-2003).]

I have said it before, but my favorite line ever from a NWA supervisor was, "Northwest doesn't need your business." It was probably the same supervisor, and my first complaint (issue) with Northwest was my last.

My second favorite line from Northwest involved asking why they did not have a toll-free customer service line (or if they could transfer me), they responded something like "to deter people from calling unless it is really important."

The new customer service SVP is Robert Isom, previously VP of International (Pacific). I do not think you will notice any change from the high standards set by Dirk. As long as Richard Anderson, the most customer-oriented CEO NWA has ever had IMHO, is around, there should be no reason to worry!

IP:

Just a couple of other thoughts. Have you looked into NW's contract of carriage or the rules for the fare that you purchased? If your fare in fact allows standby for later flights on the day of travel (which several knowledgeable sources here have said it does), this must be written somewhere in the rules or contract of carriage, right?? If you could point to some rule in your dealings with NW, it might clear up the problem.

Also, I hope you are planning to contact your credit card issuer to dispute the $100 charge.

Because WN's highest fare is $299, one way. WN gives you a choice of what fare you want to buy on the web site. There are about 6 options with varying limitations. Try that with other airline sites. With their high frequency of flights to most cities if they did not do this, most would buy the late at night $79 fare and fly at noon. Usually the fare differnce is less than $100, most of the time more like $20.

I think several of you are missing the point on the standby question. Same day standbys are legal before and after but there is no guarantee that a seat will be available. If all coach seats are taken in subsequent flights, I don't believe there is a technical obligation to accomodate you. However, from a customer service point, this was a colossal screw-up, but apparently all coach seats were filled that day.

I'd try for a refund from customer service, but if I wanted to fly NW again, I don't think I'd hold up the CC payment.

I still think this was a case where IP rubbed somebody's fur the wrong way. Little people exerting control in their little worlds. Of course, I wasn't there...maybe IP was a total shXX and I'd have been looking for a way to make his life miserable also.

A knowledgeable NW employee in this thread has commented that if coach is full and FC has availability, a coach passenger is to be upgraded in order to free up space for the standby passenger. Under no circumstances are non-revs to be put in FC ahead of the revenue standby, even if coach is full.


[This message has been edited by Unimatrix One (edited 05-09-2003).]

I would be interested in seeing the rule concerning same-day standby. Is it a policy, a procedure or an actual rule. Here's what I see (and have been told) when buying these fares:

"Other Restrictions: NONREF/PRE FLT/CHG FEE/AFT FLT NO VALUE/NON-TRANSFERABLE"

The words "after flight no value" don't seem very ambiguous to me. Is the flyer who misses the flight for which the ticket was issued (for reasons that have nothing to do with the carrier) a "revenue passenger" at that point and for subsequent flights that day? (To me, "no value" means exactly that.) Alternatively, is the passenger simply being accommodated under an administrative policy/procedure that is more humane than the actual fare rule?

Here's the typical fare rules (K class) on standby:

12. ....STANDBY PERMITTED FOR EARLIER/LATER SAME DAY FLIGHTS OTHERWISE STANDBY NOT PERMITTED. ....NOTE - 1. STANDBY A/ STANDBY FOR CO-TERMINALS OR MULTI-CITY AIRPORTS WILL BE CONSIDERED THE SAME POINT. STANDBY FROM A CO-TERMINAL IS ONLY PERMITTED ON THE CONTINUING/RETURN SECTOR WITH ANY ADDITIONAL COLLECTION IF APPLICABLE. CO-TERMINAL STANDBY ON THE OUTBOUND SECTOR IS NOT PERMITTED.