Stranded at SEA for 7 1/2 hours
Sep 8, 1999 | 11:38 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA, US CP, SPG PLAT
Programs: US Chairman, SPG PLAT, National Elite Exec
Posts: 176
Stranded at SEA for 7 1/2 hours
Don't know what it is about Northwest, but everytime I fly them (never again if I can help it) something goes wrong.
Used up the last of my miles for my wife and I to spend Labor day weekend in Seatle. Getting in on Thursday, we actually landed right on time. That would have been great if we didn't have to wait 2 full hours for our one checked bag. And it was not some special bag. Everyone on the flight was waiting for their bags that long. Aparently they had scheduled half a dozen flights to arrive at the same time and had only one carousel to use. Of course, my flight was the last to have its bags put off. I guess NW is getting good at having too many planes arrive without enough facilities to manage them.
Thankfully, old reliable National Car had my Blazer ready and waiting in the Elite Exec section. Once we got the bag from NW we were off the airport grounds in 10 minutes.
Managed to have a great weekend with great weather each day.
On the return, got to the airport a little over an hour before our scheduled return yesterday afternoon. Just our luck, the flight was already showing a 1 1/2 hour delay. That did not bode well since we had a 55 minute turnaround in MSP. Got to the desk and found out that it was a "mechanical problem" that they were working on. I knew what that meant. Find some other way home. The agent initally wanted us to check-in and "hope for the best." Wasn't going for that. Got the agent to put us on another airline.
Pulled out the trusty OAG and asked for a couple of different connections that might have worked to get us in last night. None was available. In the end, we got onto a non-stop redeye US fliight that was scheduled for 7 hours later. I hate redeye flights, but am used to them working for a company HQed in LA and I work on the East coast. My wife hates them with a passiion and we made sure when booking the trip not to have one on the returen. I guess NW had other ideas.
What annoyed me the most was NW doing little for us even though they stranded us in SEA for 7 hours. All they offered was a $13 dinner voucher. Dinner at the only real restaraunt in the airport was $40 including tip. I am Gold on AA and they have given me a club pass when stranded for more than 3 hours. Even when it is not their fault (I.E. weather). I asked for a pass from NW and got a "they don't allow us to do that" response.
I guess I should have known better than to expect good treatment from an airline that has left me to sleep in DTW mulitple times with no willingness to get me a hotel room or even a meal. At least they threw me a bone this time. Thank god for the US redeye.
BTW, the US flight went off without a hitch. Landed 20 minutes EARLY and the bags were rolling off the carousel by the time we had walked from the gate.
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__________________________________________
Two wrongs may not make a right, but three lefts do.
Used up the last of my miles for my wife and I to spend Labor day weekend in Seatle. Getting in on Thursday, we actually landed right on time. That would have been great if we didn't have to wait 2 full hours for our one checked bag. And it was not some special bag. Everyone on the flight was waiting for their bags that long. Aparently they had scheduled half a dozen flights to arrive at the same time and had only one carousel to use. Of course, my flight was the last to have its bags put off. I guess NW is getting good at having too many planes arrive without enough facilities to manage them.
Thankfully, old reliable National Car had my Blazer ready and waiting in the Elite Exec section. Once we got the bag from NW we were off the airport grounds in 10 minutes.
Managed to have a great weekend with great weather each day.
On the return, got to the airport a little over an hour before our scheduled return yesterday afternoon. Just our luck, the flight was already showing a 1 1/2 hour delay. That did not bode well since we had a 55 minute turnaround in MSP. Got to the desk and found out that it was a "mechanical problem" that they were working on. I knew what that meant. Find some other way home. The agent initally wanted us to check-in and "hope for the best." Wasn't going for that. Got the agent to put us on another airline.
Pulled out the trusty OAG and asked for a couple of different connections that might have worked to get us in last night. None was available. In the end, we got onto a non-stop redeye US fliight that was scheduled for 7 hours later. I hate redeye flights, but am used to them working for a company HQed in LA and I work on the East coast. My wife hates them with a passiion and we made sure when booking the trip not to have one on the returen. I guess NW had other ideas.
What annoyed me the most was NW doing little for us even though they stranded us in SEA for 7 hours. All they offered was a $13 dinner voucher. Dinner at the only real restaraunt in the airport was $40 including tip. I am Gold on AA and they have given me a club pass when stranded for more than 3 hours. Even when it is not their fault (I.E. weather). I asked for a pass from NW and got a "they don't allow us to do that" response.
I guess I should have known better than to expect good treatment from an airline that has left me to sleep in DTW mulitple times with no willingness to get me a hotel room or even a meal. At least they threw me a bone this time. Thank god for the US redeye.
BTW, the US flight went off without a hitch. Landed 20 minutes EARLY and the bags were rolling off the carousel by the time we had walked from the gate.
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__________________________________________
Two wrongs may not make a right, but three lefts do.
Sep 8, 1999 | 11:57 am
#2
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: 19,809
For the current state of Sea-Tac, apologies from all Seattle/King County taxpayers. It really is a mess right now, especially the South Satellite (where NW ops from) and the associated baggage claim areas in the main terminal.
FYI I met some friends off an incoming US flight from PIT that same Saturday, 9/4, at noon... same carousel area... and their bags took a solid hour to emerge.
If you get stuck at Sea-Tac again and don't fancy the (accurately described) "only real restaurant" at the airport, try 13 Coins on International Boulevard, three minutes from the main terminal. Good Italian-etc. fare, like diner food on steroids, and open all night long too.
FYI I met some friends off an incoming US flight from PIT that same Saturday, 9/4, at noon... same carousel area... and their bags took a solid hour to emerge.
If you get stuck at Sea-Tac again and don't fancy the (accurately described) "only real restaurant" at the airport, try 13 Coins on International Boulevard, three minutes from the main terminal. Good Italian-etc. fare, like diner food on steroids, and open all night long too.
Sep 8, 1999 | 8:02 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Homosassa, FL & Ringwood, NJ -UA-G(Lifetime); SPG-Plat (Lifetime)
Posts: 6,122
Blade:
I wish I had known that you guys would be there. My wife went EWR-IAH-SEA-IAH-EWR for a mileage run as she was behind on qualifying for next year. She flew CO(Got upgraded on all 4 segments), and arrived SEA at 2:01PM on Sat. She left 6:15 AM on Sunday. Looks like you guys got screw**. All the CO flights were on time and pleasant(but each was full-not a problem in FC
I wish I had known that you guys would be there. My wife went EWR-IAH-SEA-IAH-EWR for a mileage run as she was behind on qualifying for next year. She flew CO(Got upgraded on all 4 segments), and arrived SEA at 2:01PM on Sat. She left 6:15 AM on Sunday. Looks like you guys got screw**. All the CO flights were on time and pleasant(but each was full-not a problem in FC