Northwest Airlines (a US firm)

[sddsddean]

Anyone ever flown with them, 'cos they are taking me on holiday in November. Are they any good? Comments good or bad please.

[KEJ2000]

Yes, this is an American writing. I have flown with them a number of times, including four flights that were 2,000 miles apiece! You will be happy to hear that according to a recent study, this airline has the best safety record of any major, commercial US airline. However, they are also the worst in terms of arriving on schedule. Personally, I'd rather arrive someplace in one piece than on time, so those statistics were fine with me. (And I will try to find the official source of this info. for you as well, but I recall that the source was very trustworthy-- might have been ABC News. When I read the article I knew I could believe what it said.) They are a major airline, no money problems, professionals who know what they're doing. Northwest also has vegetarian and/or vegan meal options for passengers, if you call them ahead of time, which I took advantage of and which were very tasty!!! In fact, my meal looked far more appealing than my neighbor's carnivore meal, so you might want to go veg for your flight no matter what. I am just a regular person-- not affiliated with Northwest!!!-- but for the record I will say that you are in good hands with them, so don't worry a bit. I'll be back to give you that source for the stats., if I can find it again easily.

[sddsddean]

Thanks KEJ. Hope they are better than their usual at arrival times, as we have got 1 1/2 hour stops for connections on both outward and return! BTW, as we are going to be in transit (Gatwick-Minneapolis-San Diego), do you know if we will have to do the immigration thing at Minneapolis or San Diego?

[Marni]

I've only flown with Northwest once, but my advice to you would be still be to take your own food, I don't think I have ever had a worse airline meal, and after being cabin crew for 2 years I have had a few. Good legroom though. I think you will have to do the immigration thing in Minneapolis.

[KARL]

If it makes any difference to you, they are affiliated with KLM. I have flown with them a few times but never within the US. People I know complained bitterly about the cabin service within the US (i.e. domestic flights) but on the intercontinental flights I flew with them I found them average or above.

[KEJ2000]

Hello, I am back. Finding that article again is proving to be like finding a needle in a haystack, but I will keep looking whenever I have spare time. It's important for me to tell you that going through Customs & Immigration will not occur in Minneapolis, it will occur in San Diego. Customs includes searching your "checked" suitcases for banned imports (while you have it with you, so that the police can haul you away on the spot if necessary), and you will not have all of your luggage with you when you are in Minneapolis-- only your carryon. You will part with your luggage at Gatwick and not see it again until your final destination, San Diego, when you claim your bags. The airline does the handling of bags automatically for you if you have to transfer to a different airplane in Minn. Otherwise, if the same plane is making the complete trip, your luggage will be in the cargo hold underneath the plane and you will not have access to it at all in Minn. There is no major security checkpoint for you in Minn. because you and your fellow passengers will be kept in a "restricted", already secured area of the airport during your layover. There won't be much to do except sit and wait to board your connecting flight, hence 90 min. will be plenty of time. You will go through security at Gatwick before boarding the plane, then at Minn. you will be kept "fenced inside" a small part of the airport and not allowed to roam around the entire airport. Then when you land in San Diego, you will be directed straight to Customs and Immigration. (Stay tuned for Part 2!)

[KEJ2000]

Hypothetically, if you were passing through Canada or another country en route to the U.S., then you would have to clear Customs there as well. But since your intermediate and final stops are both in the U.S., you will only go through Customs once. I have traveled between the US, Canada, and the UK several times so I know this from experience. The Website for Northwest Airlines is http://www.nwa.com and they will tell you the same thing as I have. You could also call Northwest Reservations at 1-800-225-2525 to verify that. Incidentally, that is the same number you would call to reserve a special meal, and you would need to call at least 24 hours before the departure time. Actually, it's kind-of a shame that you will not have free roam of Twin Cities Airport (in Minn.) because it is fantastic, more like a giant shopping mall than an airport!

[KEJ2000]

When I think back to the article I read, which I described in my first post, I recall that the various different airlines were judged according to "What percentage of [this airline's] flights arrive within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time?" And Northwest had the lowest percentage of such flights (say, 79% of its flights arrive within 15 min., as compared to another airline's 85%)... thus making it the loser in that category. However, that could also mean that its so-called late flights arrive a mere 16 minutes later than the scheduled arrival time, and it simply has many such flights... It does not necassarily mean that Northwest's flights are terribly late, or anything like that. So, not to worry. If you are delayed, just remind yourself that they are spending that time making sure that your airplane is safe, and that should calm you. Good luck with your trip, I know it will be lovely!!!!

[sddsddean]

Thanks for all that info KEJ, I really do appreciate it. I found the nwa site and I'm hoping I'll have an E ticket (travel agent isn't sure) so I can checkin from home, 30 hours before the flight and bags an extra leg room seat, as I'm 6'3". We are looking forward to our holiday and hopefully all will go well. Thanks again.

[KEJ2000]

Hi sddsddean! How was your holiday? Good, I hope! Did you witness any of the damage from the recent wildfires in San Diego? I hope to hear back from you.