Jan Alaska

Has anyone ever had any good encounters with this lot ?

Yesterday we took my son to Anchorage to get his flight home to Scotland, he checked in with plenty of time, stood in the TSA line for an hour and a bit before being passed through the quicker line because his flight had started boarding, took him 10 mins he made it !! NOT ... by the time he got to the gate (Anchorage Teddy Stevens Airport isnt the largest in the world gates are a couple mins from TSA points) they had closed the flight and he was told it was full. Turned out they had let a 'standby' customer on and seemingly ignored the fact that he had checked in with his tickets and needed to be in Minneapolis for an international onward flight.
They offered him an upgrade to 1st class the following day (today) and a $300 credit. Turns out the 1st class portion is the Anchorage to Minneapolis section not the full journey ... What total bullshit !!
So now we've spent all night awake trying to get his tickets from London to Glasgow on the sleeper changed so he can actually get home.
NWA are a bunch of morons !!!

I really should have known better after the way we were treated last year on our trip from Michigan to AK, dirty planes, puke down the sides of seats, broken seats that wouldnt stay in the upright position ... I sent a letter of complaint and have heard Nadda. The thought has occurred to me that maybe it takes 18months for the trained apes to read customer complaints and I may still receive an apology but I wont be holding my breath.

Sooo this is absolutely the very last time I ever fly with NWA/KLM/Delta/Air France, next time I'll pay the $600 difference and book with an airline who cares.

Todays flight is scheduled for 8:35 ... wish the poor lil bugga luck, after his run in with the homeland security idiots (yes complaint in on that one too) on the way over I wont be too shocked if he doesnt visit for a wihle again.

**End of Vent**

Noorah101

Last year my husband and I flew overseas (LAX- Amsterdam - Istanbul) on KLM/NWA (before the Delta merge, I believe). It was OK but nothing special.

This year, my husband flew the same route outbound (LAX- Amsterdam - Istanbul) on KLM/NWA and said the flight was OK. His return flight is on Delta (Istanbul- JFK nonstop - LAX) and I anticipate it will be fine. I had to call the 800 number to change his flight, and they were super nice on the phone, very accomodating and very helpful in finding another flight with the same route without a fare increase. I was pretty impressed at that.

Delta has been my choice of airline for many years now.

Rene

Poppy girl

I try and fly NW/KLM to Norwich when I go back to the UK and its certainly not for the airline, KLM is OK but NW is normally a shambles the aircraft interior is always somewhat choice.....the worst experience was a problem with the AC in the mid of the plane and we had to fly from Minneapolis to Schipol with our coats, gloves and hats on it was freezing,I sent a letter of complaint and what did I get!!!...............Sod all just a stinking letter saying 'we are sorry to hear about your journey and it it will be looked into we hope you enjoy and continue to fly with NW"

AmerLisa

My daughter usually flies KLM/NWA because she lives near Leeds/Bradford and so she can fly from there to Amsterdam, direct to Seattle. But your right the service is lousy and the planes are disgusting. She said on her last trip out here (end of May) they wouldn't even offer the customers water....

And don't even get me started on her check-in for her return flight (this past August) to fly back. They've lumped all these airlines together and check-in was an absolute nightmare, a damn free for all.

Jan Alaska

Well he made his flight this morning, my son in scruffy jeans and a hoodie in 1st class

I have to say the NW groundcrew at Anchorage are the rudest. I asked for a customer service number so I could find out how to claim for extras we have incurred with this delay. I was rudely asked why I wanted to complain, when I mentioned lost wages , extra gas, car park charges and the fact that as he had missed his sleeper train in the UK we had now paid out for a flight to get him back to Glasgow she hurumphed and told me I could call "customer care" who apparently dont work weekends !

Oh well at least hes on his way !!!

Sharron_

I have never flown Northworst, Air France or KLM so I don't know.....but now I don't think I will after your comments.

I had a bit of a run in with AA when boarding once. I asked her if she would give me a hand with my carry-on luggage...with 2 kids and myself there was quite abit which I hadn't noticed because I had it over the handles of the stroller. I was carrying the baby....my son has autism and the flight attendant told me that they don't do that. (Virgin Do!)

The best airline I have ever flown has to be Virgin Atlantic. Only that we have points with AA I would fly Virgin every single time.

Regarding checking in. I always arrive 3-4 hours before my flight departs...by the time you get through Check-in and Security there's not much waiting time.

Rete

What is the TSA Line?

Poppy girl

Transport security Authority, scanning your goodies

Rete

Okay, thanks. I just call it security. How busy was that airport? I know that we didn't have that wait in Fairbanks or in Seattle.

Sorry Jan to hear that Ian and you guys had to live through that. Not a good way to end a lovely holiday.

scrubbedexpat091

You must present yourself physically at the gate at most airlines 10-15 minutes before the flight, if your not there they can and do release the seats your holding. (read contract of carriage).

Yur beef is with TSA for not being able to keep up with demand, the airline is not at fault for your son missing the flight, TSA is or your son didn't leave enough time for the time of day.

But based on whats posted aside from maybe being rude, the airline didn't do anything wrong from what I can tell.

I had a bit of a run in with AA when boarding once. I asked her if she would give me a hand with my carry-on luggage...with 2 kids and myself there was quite abit which I hadn't noticed because I had it over the handles of the stroller. I was carrying the baby....my son has autism and the flight attendant told me that they don't do that.


IN the US this is more complicated then passengers realize, when it comes to carry on help. Many time airlines forbid this as their workers comp insurance wont cover injuries an employee may sustain from lifting a passengers carry on.


Work for an airline for a week, and you will see why things are done the way they are.

Sharron_

I don't have to work for an airline for a week. My husband is a pilot so I am fully aware of the situation.

Yeah and I am sure they would get a really bad injury from carrying a bag of diapers and funny how the flight attendants on the return journey were only too happy to help.

Desperate Dan

Sharron,

I'm not surprised at this - I just find the airline staff on US carriers to be a little less helpful, ruder and older (not saying these things are linked - just an observation). It's as if service is a privilege rather than a right. That said, though Virgin generally offers better service, I'm prepared to put up with such things as long AA offers significantly lower prices.

scrubbedexpat091

Pilots dont deal with nearly enough passengers to know how passengers act. They are fairly isolated from passengers.

Some f/a's will do it but if its not a requirement of their job, then they are not obligated to do so and its their choice.

Its your carry on and your responsibility. Same with disabled passengers, F/a's are generally not required to assist them inflight to say the lav, its their responsibility.

Sometimes I think passengers and customers in general expect too much these days.

Sharron_

Oops Did someone get out of the wrong side of the bed this morning.

Rete

IMHO, they don't expect enough, so are happy with the peanut they are thrown once in a great while.