Dear Richard Anderclaus (Northwestmas 2004)
Oct 7, 2003, 12:04 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,748
Dear Richard Anderclaus (Northwestmas 2004)
Dear Richard Anderclaus,
I've been extremely nice (for once!) all year! I've prepared my Nortwestmas 2003 wish list already so you could have time to prepare, as I know you're a very busy man who travels around the world! I would like:
#1) an early morning flight between DTW and LAX - NW operated an early morning DTW-LAX flight with a B752 until last fall. If the airline can successfully retain its B752 LAS flight, then maybe an LAX flight operated by an A319 would be successful? Or maybe a B753 flying DTW-LAS-LAX? The LAS-LAX segment would connect with LAX-NRT service -- as you know, LAS is popular among Asian tourists (and NW previously operated LAS-NRT + LAS-LAX-NRT, with LAS-LAX on an A320 - the latter flight was dropped right after 9-11). Maybe things will be so successful that NW will fly DTW-LAS-LAX-HNL with a DC-10! No offense, but the current DTW-LAX schedule SUCKS!
#2) two one-way certificates to upgrade from any or additional fares for Platinum Elites - WorldPerks is a great program, but I wish Platinum Elites could enjoy additional international rewards.
#3) the return of DTW-RNO service - My parents love to gamble in Reno, I prefer to ski in Lake Tahoe. NW operated DTW-RNO three times daily when RenoAir served DTW -- of course, fares were sub-$200RT (compared to sub-$400 today!) back then.
- IndustrialPatent
P.S. KLM's Sophie has been VERY NAUGHTY and doesn't deserve anything but ashes!
- - -
There's the three things I want most for Northwestmas 2003 - what's on your list?
(typo in the title - should be 2003, not 2004)
[This message has been edited by IndustrialPatent (edited 10-07-2003).]
I've been extremely nice (for once!) all year! I've prepared my Nortwestmas 2003 wish list already so you could have time to prepare, as I know you're a very busy man who travels around the world! I would like:
#1) an early morning flight between DTW and LAX - NW operated an early morning DTW-LAX flight with a B752 until last fall. If the airline can successfully retain its B752 LAS flight, then maybe an LAX flight operated by an A319 would be successful? Or maybe a B753 flying DTW-LAS-LAX? The LAS-LAX segment would connect with LAX-NRT service -- as you know, LAS is popular among Asian tourists (and NW previously operated LAS-NRT + LAS-LAX-NRT, with LAS-LAX on an A320 - the latter flight was dropped right after 9-11). Maybe things will be so successful that NW will fly DTW-LAS-LAX-HNL with a DC-10! No offense, but the current DTW-LAX schedule SUCKS!
#2) two one-way certificates to upgrade from any or additional fares for Platinum Elites - WorldPerks is a great program, but I wish Platinum Elites could enjoy additional international rewards.
#3) the return of DTW-RNO service - My parents love to gamble in Reno, I prefer to ski in Lake Tahoe. NW operated DTW-RNO three times daily when RenoAir served DTW -- of course, fares were sub-$200RT (compared to sub-$400 today!) back then.
- IndustrialPatent
P.S. KLM's Sophie has been VERY NAUGHTY and doesn't deserve anything but ashes!
- - -
There's the three things I want most for Northwestmas 2003 - what's on your list?
(typo in the title - should be 2003, not 2004)
[This message has been edited by IndustrialPatent (edited 10-07-2003).]
Oct 7, 2003, 12:49 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,219
My list: Please don't reduce any additional benefits! 
Oct 7, 2003, 1:09 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,748
It's your prerogative 
. I'll qualify one way or another, so I really don't care ... I'm more concerned about receving early-morning LAX service so I can beat the traffic! LOL
. I'll qualify one way or another, so I really don't care ... I'm more concerned about receving early-morning LAX service so I can beat the traffic! LOL
Oct 7, 2003, 1:30 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: OMA / MUC
Programs: Former NW PE, now DL DM
Posts: 1,006
I've been a good FF all year too! Will requalify for Platinum at the end of this month, but will still continue to fly NW for the rest of this year. (Don't think I can make Platinum or even Gold in another program with only 2 months left!)
My Wish List is:
1. Don't buy any more CRJ's. There are already too many of them floating around. If you must buy more jets, please make them ARJ's or 319's, with FC seats on them for us loyal travelers.
2. Bring back the James Page Beer! While you have told your Flight Attendants that there is a "shortage" and it will not be available on all flights, Mesaba seems to have no trouble stocking enough on their flights. At the very least, find some other beer besides Bud and Bud Light.
3. Allow us Platinum folks to use our miles for "space-available" international upgrades.
This system would be quite simple: allow us to exchange, in advance, our miles for some vouchers that we could use to upgrade an international flight, ONLY IF you were not able to sell all of the WBC seats. Maybe 6 hours in advance, we could call and upgrade, and then turn in the voucher at the airport when we checked in for the flight. This would also work great in Amsterdam, because the KLM folks could upgrade us NW Platinums before they "gave away" all of the empty WBC seats to their own Platinum Elites and left us sitting in Row 54!
There's not many days left until Christmas, Richard, so please try hard to fulfill my Wish List! Then we will all have a Happy New Year. Thank You.
My Wish List is:
1. Don't buy any more CRJ's. There are already too many of them floating around. If you must buy more jets, please make them ARJ's or 319's, with FC seats on them for us loyal travelers.
2. Bring back the James Page Beer! While you have told your Flight Attendants that there is a "shortage" and it will not be available on all flights, Mesaba seems to have no trouble stocking enough on their flights. At the very least, find some other beer besides Bud and Bud Light.
3. Allow us Platinum folks to use our miles for "space-available" international upgrades.
This system would be quite simple: allow us to exchange, in advance, our miles for some vouchers that we could use to upgrade an international flight, ONLY IF you were not able to sell all of the WBC seats. Maybe 6 hours in advance, we could call and upgrade, and then turn in the voucher at the airport when we checked in for the flight. This would also work great in Amsterdam, because the KLM folks could upgrade us NW Platinums before they "gave away" all of the empty WBC seats to their own Platinum Elites and left us sitting in Row 54!
There's not many days left until Christmas, Richard, so please try hard to fulfill my Wish List! Then we will all have a Happy New Year. Thank You.
Oct 7, 2003, 6:11 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: MSP; SM with status & many BIS miles
Programs: AA, WN & many Hotels... avoids UA like the plague!
Posts: 1,019
My wish list:
1) Ditto on the CRJs, however if you have to have them, set up a FC section (adjustable like in Europe if needed) that has some extra room (pitch) so that we can work to pay for the high fares to pay for those CRJs.
[quote]<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mrcimino1:
[b]
My Wish List is:
1. Don't buy any more CRJ's. There are already too many of them floating around. If you must buy more jets, please make them ARJ's or 319's, with FC seats on them for us loyal travelers.
Im a bud and bud light fan, however typciualy dont drink bud on board 
.
2. Add diet coke or coke light instead of or in addition to pepsi. There is a differeance!
Ditto!!
3. Also add a waitlist where you can sign up to be upgraded with miles should the space become clear as departure times nears. Certianly cheaper than calling from Europe or Asia every couple of days.
4. How about another bonus level when you hit 125K miles (The equivilent of Plat+Gold) in the same year?
5. How about getting KLM to cough up inter/intra europe UPGs for Plat or based upon some other critera?
6. How about Plat for life, or gold for life (full benefits, or some sub-set) after accumulating some number of miles (real or eqm) in a specifc period, or say lifetime gold if you have been gold for 10 years or more, lifetime plat if you have been plat for 10 years or more.
7. Allow WBC upgrades with miles to be done via the web so as to not to have to bother your people so they can address other service needs.
8. Allow WP Elites to select eleite seats via the web on reservations not done via the nwa.com web site.
9. Keep the 742s flying on some route for some time for nostalgic sakes to allow those who have not flown on one of the classics to do so.
10. Start flying to Australia (SYD or MEL) via NRT or HNL or LAX so I can use some WP miles to go down under and take Mrs. Hooverer for some shopping (penfolds, etc...) and vacation. .
Hooverer
1) Ditto on the CRJs, however if you have to have them, set up a FC section (adjustable like in Europe if needed) that has some extra room (pitch) so that we can work to pay for the high fares to pay for those CRJs.
[quote]<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mrcimino1:
[b]
My Wish List is:
1. Don't buy any more CRJ's. There are already too many of them floating around. If you must buy more jets, please make them ARJ's or 319's, with FC seats on them for us loyal travelers.
Originally posted by mrcimino1:
...find some other beer besides Bud and Bud Light...</font>
...find some other beer besides Bud and Bud Light...</font>
.2. Add diet coke or coke light instead of or in addition to pepsi. There is a differeance!
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mrcimino1:
...3. Allow us Platinum folks to use our miles for "space-available" international upgrades.
This system would be quite simple: allow us to exchange, in advance, our miles for some vouchers that we could use to upgrade an international flight, ONLY IF you were not able to sell all of the WBC seats. Maybe 6 hours in advance, we could call and upgrade, and then turn in the voucher at the airport when we checked in for the flight. This would also work great in Amsterdam, because the KLM folks could upgrade us NW Platinums before they "gave away" all of the empty WBC seats to their own Platinum Elites and left us sitting in Row 54!.</font>
...3. Allow us Platinum folks to use our miles for "space-available" international upgrades.
This system would be quite simple: allow us to exchange, in advance, our miles for some vouchers that we could use to upgrade an international flight, ONLY IF you were not able to sell all of the WBC seats. Maybe 6 hours in advance, we could call and upgrade, and then turn in the voucher at the airport when we checked in for the flight. This would also work great in Amsterdam, because the KLM folks could upgrade us NW Platinums before they "gave away" all of the empty WBC seats to their own Platinum Elites and left us sitting in Row 54!.</font>
3. Also add a waitlist where you can sign up to be upgraded with miles should the space become clear as departure times nears. Certianly cheaper than calling from Europe or Asia every couple of days.
4. How about another bonus level when you hit 125K miles (The equivilent of Plat+Gold) in the same year?
5. How about getting KLM to cough up inter/intra europe UPGs for Plat or based upon some other critera?
6. How about Plat for life, or gold for life (full benefits, or some sub-set) after accumulating some number of miles (real or eqm) in a specifc period, or say lifetime gold if you have been gold for 10 years or more, lifetime plat if you have been plat for 10 years or more.
7. Allow WBC upgrades with miles to be done via the web so as to not to have to bother your people so they can address other service needs.
8. Allow WP Elites to select eleite seats via the web on reservations not done via the nwa.com web site.
9. Keep the 742s flying on some route for some time for nostalgic sakes to allow those who have not flown on one of the classics to do so.
10. Start flying to Australia (SYD or MEL) via NRT or HNL or LAX so I can use some WP miles to go down under and take Mrs. Hooverer for some shopping (penfolds, etc...) and vacation.
.Hooverer
Oct 7, 2003, 6:33 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
Programs: CO Gold Elite / NW Gold Elite
Posts: 13,747
I just have 1 thing on my list....
Match CO status so we can all switch to WP
Match CO status so we can all switch to WP
Oct 7, 2003, 6:49 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
My two wishes:
(1) Gradually restore DTW-Shanghai/Beijing nonstop flights, even if only for twice a week. Life is hard for us in Boston going to China which requires layovers in Detroit and Tokyo. UA has nonstop service to Shanghai and Beijing.
(2) Dump that "evil" airline (DL) from the alliance, or at least resist Uncle Leo's idea to match DL/CO's EQM scheme. You are at least smart enough at this point not to follow suit. See how many CO elites you have been getting? I guess you are smiling?
(1) Gradually restore DTW-Shanghai/Beijing nonstop flights, even if only for twice a week. Life is hard for us in Boston going to China which requires layovers in Detroit and Tokyo. UA has nonstop service to Shanghai and Beijing.
(2) Dump that "evil" airline (DL) from the alliance, or at least resist Uncle Leo's idea to match DL/CO's EQM scheme. You are at least smart enough at this point not to follow suit. See how many CO elites you have been getting? I guess you are smiling?
Oct 7, 2003, 7:23 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: DL tin elite flying between TYS -VIE / ILZ / BTS
Programs: DL, ZSR, MHD ;)
Posts: 938
Dear Richard, hmm Santa!
1. Please put back ARJ for the 8:30PM TYS-MEM flight.
2. Grant wishes, as stated above, to all those Plats and Golds, who are wearing their pants off in NWA seats. They deserve it.
3. Otherwise, do not do anything with NW WP for next 10 years. I, as a lovely Silver, am pretty happy with WP.
[This message has been edited by Jano (edited 10-07-2003).]
1. Please put back ARJ for the 8:30PM TYS-MEM flight.
2. Grant wishes, as stated above, to all those Plats and Golds, who are wearing their pants off in NWA seats. They deserve it.
3. Otherwise, do not do anything with NW WP for next 10 years. I, as a lovely Silver, am pretty happy with WP.
[This message has been edited by Jano (edited 10-07-2003).]
Oct 7, 2003, 9:43 am
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,300
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by socrates:
I just have 1 thing on my list....
Match CO status so we can all switch to WP</font>
I just have 1 thing on my list....
Match CO status so we can all switch to WP</font>
ok...that is my wish too...or at least, please get tough with old Gordo and that buffoon Leo Mullin and tell them that ALL your customers are important to your company's success...and they should learn some things about how NW treats its Elites, if this unholy alliance is to succeed. Maybe CO will rescind its changes and leave DL flapping out in the breeze. If that doesn't work, then please openly comp comparable status from CO and let us come over and enjoy the NW world officially.
Oct 7, 2003, 10:42 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Alexandria, VA, USA NW Platinum Elite Since 1999, United GoldMM, Hyatt Plat, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, Hertz #1 Gold, IC Ambassador, Avis Chairman's
Posts: 7,445
Dear Richard Anderclaus,
1) Keep Beth and Russ! - Alot of the industry re-hashes or rarely uses incentives to gain/retain flyers. I think the promotions that WorldPerks have come up with are smart and have captured my attention, as well as many of my colleagues and friends.
2) Make peace with the unions - OK this isn't me the flyer, but me the shareholder talking. Give the unions the ca$h you rightfully owe them and you'll get the major concessions you want. I as a shareholder would rather see this than NW go bankrupt in 2005.
3) Remain forward thinking - I know it would be easy to go along with Gordo and Leo, but stay your own course. In the end you will see where loyalties lie.
3) Peace on earth - and more seats in the "D" & "I" buckets for us Platinums (5 years running!!)
Oh... one last thing... can you have IP let me into the Unofficial FT Country Club
ho ho ho!
1) Keep Beth and Russ! - Alot of the industry re-hashes or rarely uses incentives to gain/retain flyers. I think the promotions that WorldPerks have come up with are smart and have captured my attention, as well as many of my colleagues and friends.
2) Make peace with the unions - OK this isn't me the flyer, but me the shareholder talking. Give the unions the ca$h you rightfully owe them and you'll get the major concessions you want. I as a shareholder would rather see this than NW go bankrupt in 2005.
3) Remain forward thinking - I know it would be easy to go along with Gordo and Leo, but stay your own course. In the end you will see where loyalties lie.
3) Peace on earth - and more seats in the "D" & "I" buckets for us Platinums (5 years running!!)
Oh... one last thing... can you have IP let me into the Unofficial FT Country Club
ho ho ho!
Oct 7, 2003, 11:10 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,720
Dear Richard Anderclaus:
What I would like in 2004:
** Restore a late-night westbound bank out of DTW. I really miss the circa-1000pm DTW-SEA departure. You used to be able to do a whole business day's work anywhere on the east coast, then fly home on NW. You had a 1000pm MEM-SEA flight in the schedule for awhile, but it's gone now before I had a chance to book it.
** Resist the pressure on WorldPerks from CO/DL. Do so and you'll have loyalists for life. Succumb and you'll see a bunch of people like us succumbing to AirTran, or JetBlue, or whatever. Not much middle ground there.
** Put an A330 on SEA-AMS.
** Make peace with the unions. It would be tragic to see this airline, which is clearly ascendant and clearly the most pro-customer US major since 9/11, kneecapped by labor action. Don't be the next UA.
[This message has been edited by BearX220 (edited 10-07-2003).]
What I would like in 2004:
** Restore a late-night westbound bank out of DTW. I really miss the circa-1000pm DTW-SEA departure. You used to be able to do a whole business day's work anywhere on the east coast, then fly home on NW. You had a 1000pm MEM-SEA flight in the schedule for awhile, but it's gone now before I had a chance to book it.
** Resist the pressure on WorldPerks from CO/DL. Do so and you'll have loyalists for life. Succumb and you'll see a bunch of people like us succumbing to AirTran, or JetBlue, or whatever. Not much middle ground there.
** Put an A330 on SEA-AMS.
** Make peace with the unions. It would be tragic to see this airline, which is clearly ascendant and clearly the most pro-customer US major since 9/11, kneecapped by labor action. Don't be the next UA.
[This message has been edited by BearX220 (edited 10-07-2003).]
Oct 7, 2003, 1:52 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Upper Midwest
Programs: DL, AA
Posts: 1,677
I have but two, with one left for a later date.
*Don't follow DL's lead (and CO's follow) re: changes to WP! WP is great as it is! Look at all the DL and CO elites you're getting!
*Make peace with the unions. (Related Term, see United)
*TBA
*Don't follow DL's lead (and CO's follow) re: changes to WP! WP is great as it is! Look at all the DL and CO elites you're getting!
*Make peace with the unions. (Related Term, see United)
*TBA
Oct 7, 2003, 2:01 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2003
Location: MSP - NW Gold - PC Plat - Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 2,478
Well Mr IP you seem to have an knack for starting interesting threads (I wish I could, but I am a bandwagon joiner.
My wish all of the above and........... movies on west coast flights
My wish all of the above and........... movies on west coast flights
Oct 7, 2003, 5:15 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: AS MVP Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,509
International mileage upgrades on reasonable fares. Sucks flying domestic F then international Y, but I must say the reverse makes the overwater Y easier.
Oct 7, 2003, 7:18 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA
Programs: DL, HH, & IHG Dia; Bonvoy Titan
Posts: 304
DC-10 service DTW-LAX