Why? Inherent hate for DL, or just different expectations?

sxf24, you'll find a lot of subjective "me" attitude on the DL board. I like the NW flyers much more. Being unhappy with DL is one thing, but they take it to a level of venom i've never seen. Hopefully they won't infect the NW board. Lets keep our fingers crossed.

I would agree about the DL vs. NW board. I didn't understand the tone of your original post, but I see your point now

sxf24,

Just different expectations. I've enjoyed the whole experience at NW much better that my time flying Delta. I had lots of problems with DL before I switched. Finally wrote a letter and the response was basically "so what". So I switched.

It is sad to see what has happened at DL - but I do understand it is a business. I don't agree with a lot of what they are doing from a customer's viewpoint, though. I'm not one to spend much energy on fighting DL, but if asked, I'll state my preference.

I may still be in a honeymoon period with NW, but the whole culture is different, and I like it.

Hope that clears things up a bit.

fp

For anyone who can remember NW back when Don
Nyrop was in charge....

DL now has that culture, and NW is getting more and more like the old culture at DL (pre-Leo).

I'd say something along the lines of "the last shall be first", but that might bring too much commentary from the CO flyers!!

Suffice to say that this soon-to-be ex DL PM (and new NW PE) thinks that NW has to be the most customer oriented of the Big Six.

Are you referring to Gordo's current book in progress..."From Worst to First and back again, the round trip story of CO"

I can't stop laughing about that one!

Regarding Remedy's missed flight to CMH because the door closed just before Remedy got there from a connecting flight, what is the policy on re-opening boarding doors once they're closed? Is it an airline policy, or up to each GA, or an FAA rule?

I've seen people get turned away before for NW flights when the plane is still at the gate for several more minutes, but last night I was on a Southwest flight from MDW to DTW, the boarding door had been closed, and about a minute later we were still sitting at the gate and there was a knock on the boarding door. An FA opened the door, a late connecting passenger got on, and then the FA closed the door again. We pushed back about a minute after that.

I have been told that once the door is closed and the engines have started the door cannot be reopened.

This has been the reason for 3 mis-connects in MEM over the past few years on the last conn ecting flight back to CMH.

RC

Mikey, I hate to say this, but my experience with DL and NW suggests that DL is much better at holding the last plane out to reasonably accomodate incoming pax on delayed flights.

My experience at DTW -- closing the door and sending the flight off EARLY with incoming pax in the airport en route to the gate -- was inexcusable.

I was traveling with a friend who has been diagnosed with OCD. We pre-boarded the plane and he announced that he was going to grab something to eat up on the concourse (we had maybe 20 minutes until departure). I warned him about the time situation as he left.

20 minutes came and went, and the GA came to me on the plane several times asking where my friend went. She finally said "well, your friend just missed this flight" and left. Two minutes later the GA comes back with my friend in tow. She said he was lucky because she noticed him running as she was about to "close the flight". The flight left about 10 minutes late. He had apparently got stuck eating his food on the concourse, and once he started eating, he couldn't stop even if it meant missing the flight.

I don't know what type of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) this person has, and may be sorry about the following comment, BUT - when it is time for a plane to leave, it should leave. Waiting for one passenger that KNEW about the time and made the DECISION to not be on the plane is wrong. Waiting for connecting passengers due to no fault of their own is another story.

I agree. OTOH, when NW knew that there were connecting pax from a delayed flight en route to the gate of a last flight out at DTW and released the flight early, there is no excuse or justification for that.

Wouldn't holding a plane or releasing it early be schedule irregularities and not force majeure events?

Then other affected and aggrieved passengers would be entitled to more compensation such as hotel rooms.

Travel tips:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/travel.htm

I agree too! I was hoping they would leave his a$$ and then he'd have to think more carefully before he makes another dumb decision like this. I was coming back from a one week vacation with him and I was getting severely tired of his antics.

Though he's a good friend, I was a bit disappointed when he made the flight. I wanted him to learn a lesson.


[This message has been edited by mat123 (edited Dec 11, 2003).]