Northwest posts

by Katie Hammel (RSS feed) (5 days ago)
Nov 15th, 2009 at 12:30PM: I can't remember the last time I paid with cash for a drink on a domestic flight. Even on my last few international flights, I pulled out the plastic when it was time for a nerve-calming vodka-cran. So I was actually kind of surprised at the announcement that Delta Airlines would no longer be accepting cash on flights in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. I didn't even realize cash ...

by Scott Carmichael (RSS feed) (23 days ago)
Oct 28th, 2009 at 12:30PM:
tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/28/ten-pilots-you-dont-want-in-your-cockpit/'; tweetmeme_source = 'Gadling';
When it comes to making fun of airline employees, pilots are usually off limits. Screw with a flight attendant, and you may not get your drink, screw with the TSA, and you may end up missing your flight. But screwing around with a pilot just doesn't feel right. In ...

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (24 days ago)
Oct 27th, 2009 at 4:00PM: The investigation into the overshooting Northwest Airlines flight continues. The National Transportation Safety Board has found that the pilots were distracted by conversations and the use of personal laptops when flying 150 miles past Minneapolis. One of the topics being bandied about was scheduling, though I suspect it didn't involve the impact of a late arrival because of a missed airport. ...
![NWA pilot: lots of misinformation, but can't talk about it]()
by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (26 days ago)
Oct 25th, 2009 at 1:00PM:
All eyes are on the Northwest Airlines crew that missed Minneapolis by 150 miles. Rumors abound, such as dozing and arguments in the cockpit. Richard Cole, a crewmember on Northwest Flight 188, wouldn't talk, except to say that it wasn't his fault: "But other than that, I cannot tell you anything that went on because we're having hearings this weekend, we're having hearings on Tuesday. All ...

by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (3 months ago)
Jul 28th, 2009 at 1:30PM: It's difficult making both parties happy during a merger, especially when the old dogs in one way of life have to learn all of the new tricks in another. Where this appears to be particularly scathing is in the frequent flyer programs, where loyal passengers to both Worldperks (Northwest) and Skymiles (Delta) are starting to get mashed together. To appease some of the most frequent Skyteam ...

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (6 months ago)
Apr 28th, 2009 at 8:00AM: As airlines are scrambling for any shred of extra revenue they can find, some policies are getting more attention than others. The so-called "fat passenger policies," which govern the accommodation of passengers who require more than one seat, have attracted the ire of the NAAFA. Never heard of it? It's a new one on me, too: the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. On the other hand, ...

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (7 months ago)
Apr 22nd, 2009 at 3:00PM: Mark Randall Rayborn will be on probation for the next four years. He was accused of telling an off-duty Northwest Airlines pilot that he had five pounds of explosives in his carry-on.
The plane was pulling back from the gate at Denver International Airport last year when Rayborn broke the news to the man sitting next to him while grabbing his bag. As a result of this episode, the flight was ...

by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (7 months ago)
Apr 5th, 2009 at 7:30PM: One of the few advantages to being in an airplane almost every weekend is that sooner or later, you run into someone famous. That's what happened last night on my way back from Los Angeles, where boarding my 757 I was pushed out of the way by an eager flight attendant carrying two guitar cases labeled "Slash." As I pointed them out, one guy next to me suggested that the real Slash was probably on ...

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (7 months ago)
Apr 2nd, 2009 at 9:00AM: This week, Northwest employees will get some new threads. Delta has announced that the vanquished will don the mother ship's uniforms this week, calling it "one of the first outwardly visible signs that the two airlines are now one." More important than the employees' new sartorial splendor, free snacks are coming back to all flights! But, one important question remains: Coke or Pepsi? Delta and ...

by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (8 months ago)
Mar 18th, 2009 at 1:00PM: Rumor in the underground has it that Northwest Airlines' flight attendants will be going retro during the last week of March, in a throwback to all of the old Northwest and Northwest Orient garb over the ages. Apparently April 1st marks the first day that staff are required to wear the new Delta uniform, so employees will be digging back into their closets to pull out the vintage gear. And as one ...

by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (9 months ago)
Feb 20th, 2009 at 2:00PM: If Delta Skymiles could be equated to a currency, they would be Zimbabwean Dollars. Over the past several months, numerous changes at the Atlanta based company have brought significant detriment to the joint Delta and Northwest frequent flyer program. These modifications range from an increase in mileage fee for economy tickets (tickets to Europe, for example, went from 50K to 60K miles,) ...

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) (9 months ago)
Feb 17th, 2009 at 9:00AM: Blame Northwest. Or, blame the merger with Delta. Either way, peanuts are back, and some passengers are pissed. On February 1, Northwest began dishing out peanuts on flights, which Delta has been doing since dirt was new. The timing isn't all that hot, given a national salmonella outbreak involving Peanut Corporation of America. And then there are the people who are allergic to peanuts ... they're ...

by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (9 months ago)
Feb 1st, 2009 at 11:00AM: In this week's chapter of "Merger Mania, Delta Devours Northwest," lots of changes have happened to each respective frequent flyer program. To merge the two programs, small changes in mileage earning, spending and transfer have been implemented, largely to make Northwest's program emulate Delta. System Wide Upgrades, a feature that many Northwest flyers briefly enjoyed, will now be translated to ...
![So long, Northwest 747's]()
by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (10 months ago)
Jan 14th, 2009 at 4:30PM: The end of an airline is upon us. While there are still a few wrinkles in th merger between Delta and Northwest Airlines to iron out, things are pretty much set in stone when they start repainting aircraft. To start, Delta, a carrier that has never had the 747 jumbo jet in its livery, will be usurping Northwest's aircraft and putting them on long haul routes. You can see the whole process of ...

by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (10 months ago)
Jan 2nd, 2009 at 2:30PM: As we barrel forward into 2009 and the processing merger between Delta and Northwest Airlines, small facets of the company are slowly being integrated. Just a few weeks ago, the first NW 747 was repainted in DL colors, and ever so gently the NW routes are starting to disappear. Throughout the year, mileage accounts between the two airlines will also be integrated, with the joint rules pulling from ...

by Jamie Rhein (RSS feed) (11 months ago)
Dec 19th, 2008 at 9:30AM: You've probably noticed the stories about how airfares have dropped and air traffic is down. Two weeks ago, I flew from Copenhagen to Columbus on two airplanes that were not full. The Continental flight from Copenhagen to Newark was empty enough that most people had seats between them.
The flight from Newark to Columbus was even more roomy. The row in front of my daughter and me was empty, and ...

by Josh Lew (RSS feed) (11 months ago)
Dec 16th, 2008 at 11:30AM: Despite promises that job cuts will be minimal as a result of the Northwest/Delta merger, Delta recently offered buyouts to 75,000 employees. Delta CEO Richard Anderson explained that the airline needs to make the cuts because of the economy: "To deal with the effect of the recession, we are moving quickly and decisively to decrease system-wide capacity by 6 to 8%." This could be bad news for ...

by Grant Martin (RSS feed) (1 year ago)
Nov 17th, 2008 at 2:15PM: Either the LDS, The Salt Lake City Tourism Board or Northwest and Delta are up to something, because all of the sudden, prices out to SLC just tanked. I'm pulling up tickets from about $100-$125 round trip departing from Detroit and Chicago respectively, with other cities across the country at fairly competitive rates. At this point, fares look to be good through early February. "Why go to Salt ...

by Jamie Rhein (RSS feed) (1 year ago)
Nov 7th, 2008 at 3:30PM: With Obama's win has come a round of election related posts this week. There's an Obama musical planned in Kenya, bling to be had with inaugeration hotel packages and Obama-themed safaris.
In other travel related avenues that had nothing to do with the election, here are five other reads that range from the serious to the silly.
Aaron pointed out how cruises are still considered travel ...

by Josh Lew (RSS feed) (1 year ago)
Nov 6th, 2008 at 10:00AM: Gadling has been closely following the merger between air travel giants Delta and Northwest Airlines. The marriage of the two carriers was recently approved by the Department of Justice. But what does this mean for the people on the ground and in the air? Aside from seeing new color schemes on the staff and aircraft, there are all those frequent flier miles Northwest patrons have been saving. ...
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