Northwest Airlines: Licensed to Reroute

My flight to Japan began three days ago. In the amount of time I have been "traveling" or should I say re-routing, due to NorthWest Airline's incompetence, I could have been around the world two or three times!

My nightmare began on August 24th when I boarded a Jet Blue carrier in Boston. Scheduled to depart at 7:50 AM, the foggy weather in New York made this impossible. Hours later, when I arrived to JFK to make my connecting flight with NWA, I was informed my flight was to be rescheduled because my other connecting flight in Detroit had left on time, and thus I'd have no flight from Detroit to Japan.

Rudely, The NWA representative informed me that I had no choice but to wait in the airport until the following morning and complicate my plans by flying from Minneapolis to Honolulu to Osaka. In the case of many international flight cancellations (even weather related), airlines usually cut you some slack and give you a free room for the night or at least a meal. Yet, the NWA rep heartlessly told me that a weather problem was not her problem.

While weather conditions may be out of NWA control, should a passenger suffer if an airline can not reschedule until the next day?

The following morning did not restore my faith in NWA; my 8AM craft had mechanical problems and I missed my connecting flight in Minneapolis. Again, I was told by NWA reps that my flight to Japan would be canceled and that I would be rerouted...this time to Detroit.

Fortunately, the supervisor in Minneapolis offered that NWA would pay for my hotel in Detroit and give me $30 worth of meal vouchers. Unfortunately, once I tried to retrieve this compensation from the service center in Detroit, I felt like an airline gold digger; I was forced to explain and prove why I should be given this "perk".

The NWA Company has poor customer service and lacks organization, thus beware in booking with them (especially out of JFK). The other day I saw a news report about the nightmare of flying these days. From my experience with NWA, I admit this can truly be something to fear. Not only do we have to worry if our luggage will arrive on time, but we have to wonder if we will! At least for this time, I can say that I made it. Today I write you from Japan. Bansai! (Hurrah!)