SFO NRT equipment question
 

First off, NW was way cool with a great attitude about an upcoming October trip SFO NRT HKG. I booked this when it was still a 747-200 and now its a DC-10, I asked if they could put me down through LAX so I could get the "nice" WBC seats on the 747-200. I had two tickets, both booked through CO: a full reward and a revenue coach ticket with a mileage upgrade. CO didn't want to help with this at all, it was only after NW didn't blink and inserted a comment into our record to the effect of "equipment downgrade, reroute through LAX, do not charge customer any change fee" that CO changed it for us. I was really expecting to have to justify why I wanted to go out of my way to LAX; nope, NW saw the issue right-up and said of course you should do that for an 11 hour flight.

So here's my question. I have the exact same setup in November SFO NRT BKK. NW did put the same comment in the record for me. But they insist this November flight will be operated by a 747-200. They even put me on hold and called some internal division to check. They said a decision has already been made to place the 747-200 back on this route for November.

I told them I had heard (from FT, didn't tell them that) that this route would continue to be ooperated by a DC-10 until the Airbus came online for this route in May, 2003, and that the reason the November schedule had not been updated yet to show a DC10 is that they are going month by month to update and as of this time only have made it to November. Anyway, these guys were super cool and I'm sure they were being straight-up, but does anyone here know different info?

It matters to me a lot because I need to purchase four more tickets for travel in 12/03 and 3/04 and I want to know whether to purchase SFO-LAX-NRT or SFO-NRT (tickets are the same exact price except for a few fees).

Thanks for any info any insiders/regular NW travelers may have about this route.

I do not have any more information on this situation than you have posted here. I know that EVERY NWA employee I have spoken to regarding the SFO-NRT DC-10 dislikes the aircraft. They all suggest that we write letters to NW and make our concerns known. I have done this. I hope everyone, with a similar opinion, does the same. I have also re-routed myself through Seattle to avoid this aircraft. I will continue to use Seattle or LAX until this aircraft is no longer on this particular run.

until they stop substituting DC-10's for 747-200's into the schedule at the beginning of every month or so, I'd be assuming DC-10's are it for the forseeable future. Buy your ticket going through LAX or SEA for now, and if 747-200's make it back to SFO, then you can easily change your ticket to go directly (most WBC fares, aside from Z, are easily changeable).

I changed my next flight from SFO-SEA-NRT-BKK to SJC-SEA-NRT-BKK. Same cost, more qualifying miles and SJC is only 3 miles from my home. Sure, it involves an earlier flight, but I will live with it!

How is the NW lounge in SEA?

[This message has been edited by RKG (edited 07-13-2003).]

The WC in SEA is "middle tier" as far as interiors. It's not a DTW WC, but it's also not plain and windowless.

The WC staff there are very supportive of their regulars.

[This message has been edited by Eidetic (edited 07-13-2003).]

Thanks!