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For so many reasons.
Lost baggage for three days over Christmas
Rude staff
Ancient 747 with no facilities
Refusal to juggle flights
Customer service lines dead
Baggage reclaim lines dead

I just tried to voice legitimate concerns about my flights to Myrna Alexander, customer service supervisor and she says, "I will not listen to you talk about this airline like that - goodbye."

Um... Sorry but what the fuck...?

The plane didn't even have an entertainment option. And check this - you know how above your seat there's a button for a light and the air-con. Didn't have that either. Didn't have duty free... I actually saw this fat little stewardess push a passenger out of her way. The whole experience has been incredible.

And I strongly advise all of you my Internet buddies, not to fly with NWA. Ever.

 

[norinrad21]

I could have told you that.

When is the big spong event anyway?

 

[Dan]

I fly Northwest all the time and haven't encountered any of that. Anecdotal evidence does not equal universal truth.

 

[olimario]

Southwest is pretty good. They don't have much, but I can get a flight to St. Louis for $79.

 

[explodet]

Okay, Northwest nixed, US Air nixed.
Any others to avoid?

Does United suck, or are they okay?

 

[Willco]

Southwest sucks. I mean, if you absolutely cannot spend any money whatsoever to fly, go with Southwest because they're cheap. But they're cheap for a reason.

I've had favorable experiences with United.

 

[aoi tsuki]

Ghetto Delta >>> *

 

[Manabanana]

Yeah, United is great. They booked 3 different flights for me because of a delay. I got into O'Hare late, and they came up to me with new flight tickets for two different flights, but I ended up on standby for an earlier flight. I was still late getting home, but they made it easier than NWA ever has. On one of the flights with United, they were giving out bottles of champagne to people who answered trivia questions correctly :lol

 

[olimario]

Southwest sucks. I mean, if you absolutely cannot spend any money whatsoever to fly, go with Southwest because they're cheap. But they're cheap for a reason.

I've had favorable experiences with United.

I don't understand the need for luxury while flying. I just want to get from A to B as quick and as cheap as possible. I can fit all of my stuff on a carryon, have a place to sit and a dr. pepper to drink while I travel from Houston to St. Louis, all for $79.

That's nice. I don't need a seat warmer, movie, and full dinner for $200 more.

 

[Chittagong]

I suggest also to avoid Lufthansa. I don't want to get carried away with all the stories, but let's just say that

LUFTHANSA IS THE BUSINESS TRAVELER'S NIGHTMARE.

 

[Willco]

I don't understand the need for luxury while flying. I just want to get from A to B as quick and as cheap as possible. I can fit all of my stuff on a carryon, have a place to sit and a dr. pepper to drink while I travel from Houston to St. Louis, all for $79.

That's nice. I don't need a seat warmer, movie, and full dinner for $200 more.

It's not luxury, it's about not being uncomfortable. I'd rather pay the extra $30 to make sure I don't sit in a fucking ragged old chair.

Southwest has shitty service, shitty seats, shitty everything.

 

[Chittagong]

Found my old letter to Lufthansa.

Dear Sirs,

as a frequent business flyer only occasionally utilizing services of Lufthansa, I would like to share you with some feedback from my latest trip with Lufthansa - which, to be very frank - was an utterly unfriendly experience I do not intend to repeat in the very near future.

To make it in time from Düsseldorf on Wed 27.4. to an important meeting in Helsinki in the morning of Thu 28.4., I chose a Business Class flight to Helsinki with Lufthansa, with a connecting flight from Frankfurt (SK3736). The initial flight Düsseldorf-Frankfurt (LH0815) was delayed for an hour for weather reasons, which is perfectly usual.

Hence, I requested the flight cabin personnel to check my connection status and inform the gate of our delayed arrival as there would have been a possibility to make it tightly - a pretty normal practice. Unfortunately, my wish went unanswered - no contact was taken, and I missed the plane.

In the ticket services in Frankfurt, I brought in the discussion that I now had missed the meeting why I flew Lufthansa Business in the first place - my hope being to be countered with a gesture of goodwill to make the inevitable night in Frankfurt work. Rather, I met a categoric denial of rights for any compensation due to company policy. In addition, I was informed - Lufthansa would never provide any accommodation in such cases.

In addition to dissappointment to the lack of courtesy, the ticket service person booked me a place for the next day flight in row 12 in Economy, although I had paid for a Business seat. No explanation was given. I had to go and reverse this decision the next morning, getting seat 2A in a half-empty Business Class.

While questions of policy always exist, the airlines I frequent with - namely British Airways and Finnair - value customeer satisfaction to the extent that they are often willing to adjust their policy to ensure the comfort of an exhausted business traveller. My experience with these preferred companies ensures me that if something goes wrong - even weather - I can always rely on their courtesy. In light of my recent experience, I have little such confidence in Lufthansa.

Having been on board of more than 20 airlines during the last year - from small to big - my experience of customer disrespect and disregard with Lufthansa is second to none.

Some might argue that in light of the level of service, I shouldn't put any effort in writing to share my experience. The sole motivation of this lengthy feedback is in the hope that Lufthansa is willing to learn from customer response - so that when I some day may choose to fly with you again, I would be more likely to have a comfortable trip.

For good service, I reward my prefered airline partners with loyalty, consolidation and repeat purchase. For bad service, I do not hesitate to share my experience with people I meet in work.

Sincerelly yours,

N

Lufthansa's reply was that "Sorry you had a bad experience, but our policy of no refunds is based on the requirements of law. We hope to see you again at Lufthansa."

They never will. And in addition I'm sharing the story with as many people as possible.

 

[olimario]

Where are you going to find nicer than Southwest for a 2 hour, $109 flight? I just don't see it.

 

[Willco]

Where are you going to find nicer than Southwest for a 2 hour, $109 flight? I just don't see it.

I paid $250 for a flight from BWI to LAX, roundtrip with no stops on United.

Southwest isn't that much of a bargain anymore. You can save money with some of the more local trips and even on the longer ones too, but it's not the kind of savings that is worth the fucking hassle that is Southwest.

I'm not asking for first class and caviar, but I am asking for a goddamn seat that doesn't smell like sweat and isn't old and ragged. Or flight attendants that didn't get their certification at clown college. Or customer support that doesn't hire their employees from a select pool of retards.

It is worth the extra $30 not to fly Southwest.

I hate that airline so much. I used to have no choice but fly that airline when I was a child, but now that I'm an adult and have my own money, I'm so glad I'll never fly that airline ever again.

 

[olimario]

How long has it been since you flown SWA? In all my years I've never sat in a nasty seat or dealt with unfrienly people. Guess we've had different experiences.

 

[border]

Southwest is great, though short on perks. Definitely for the spartan traveller. Take the money you saved on the ticket and rent an In-Motion portable DVD player at the airport. It'll be more entertaining than anything they're showing on the plane.

I like that they let you take your seats in the order you arrive at the gate. Seems more fair, and I can switch seats easily if there's a screaming brat in the vicinity.

 

[Willco]

How long has it been since you flown SWA? In all my years I've never sat in a nasty seat or dealt with unfrienly people. Guess we've had different experiences.

It's probably been about five years since I last flew Southwest. And I pray to God every day that I will never have to ever again.

 

[mattiewheels]

And I strongly advise all of you my Internet buddies, not to fly with NWA. Ever.

:lol

Well, my mom works for Delta, so I've never really had a glaringly bad experience with airplanes. I guess I'm lucky.

 

[AntoneM]

Northwest isn't so bad, I've flown United, AmericaWest, and Northwest and they all seemed about the same to me.

 

[Dilbert]

I hate Southwest and have recently come to dislike Delta as well.

My company's preferred airline is American, and the extra couple of inches of room ARE helpful when trying to use a laptop on a plane. United is OK, but cramped.

I'd like to try out jetBlue, but they don't fly into LAX.

 

[Flynn]

A Northwest stewardess woke me up by slamming the refreshment cart into my knee.

 

[WedgeX]

Liked United alot flying from Detroit to DC and back.

NWA wasn't all too great, although that flight only lasted an hour so I can't judge all that well.

 

[cvxfreak]

A Northwest stewardess woke me up by slamming the refreshment cart into my knee.

:lol Sorry, but I feel the need to laugh for a moment.

Best airline I've ever been on is Philippine Airlines, because I flew to the PI on Business and came back on First. Nothing but good times.

 

[Vibri]

I fly a heck of a lot, domestic and international, so here are a few universal truths:

DOMESTIC

- Southwest and Jet Blue. That's all you need to know.

INTERNATIONAL

- NEVER fly a US airline (American, United, whatever) on an international flight. Competing international airlines are in ABSOLUTELY A DIFFERENT LEAGUE. London, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Hong Kong - wherever. Always fly an Asian airline if you can, they have flawless customer service, are usually the same price or cheaper, and totally modern aircraft.

- Singapore airlines WHENEVER you can. One of the cheapest, and absolutely the best. Even in economy each seat has 100 CDs and 60 movies on demand (fwd, pause etc), 12 TV networks, multiplayer gaming (challenge a friend at seat 33b fo example), a fucking SNES with 20+ games, the best airline food on earth, oh and STUNNING hot hostesses with tailored tight body suits etc. Consistently won evey airline security and safety award out there too. It's just one of those amazing deals that slipped though the cracks of the 21st century.


edit: oh and Singapore airlines is part of star alliance, so you collect miles towards United etc as well.

 

[MassiveAttack]

Singapore absolutely crushes every other airline in existence for all the reasons stated above. The fact that they also have the most beautiful flight attendants on earth is deeply satisfying as well. Fly Singapore once in your life and you will understand.

For domestic travel as well as international, American beats every other domestic airline.

 

[Vibri]

Seriously - Singapore airlines economy is better than a lot of business class flights I've taken.
They from from the US-Japan for $600 return. Unbelievable deal.

 

[xsarien]

Okay, Northwest nixed, US Air nixed.
Any others to avoid?

Does United suck, or are they okay?

I hold grudges against our corporate overlords easily, so my list of approved airlines is pretty short. Right now - in order of preference - I fly JetBlue, Continental, and American. If I can't get a decent flight between them, I cave and look at Delta or United. Continental [claims to] have an entirely new fleet of planes, and American didn't tell me to go fuck myself during an absolute, worst-case scenario that involved them. JetBlue's the best you can get, as long as you're flying where they go. It's unfortunate that they have non-compete clauses keeping them out of the midwest (The CEO/founder of JetBlue used to run...something that caters to that area). I go there at least once a year to see friends.

 

[AstroLad]

JetBlue owns (and has some great deals most times). Nothing like being able to watch Sportscenter, then Conan on a flight.

 

[Lil' Dice]

- NEVER fly a US airline (American, United, whatever) on an international flight. Competing international airlines are in ABSOLUTELY A DIFFERENT LEAGUE. London, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Hong Kong - wherever. Always fly an Asian airline if you can, they have flawless customer service, are usually the same price or cheaper, and totally modern aircraft.

- Singapore airlines WHENEVER you can. One of the cheapest, and absolutely the best. Even in economy each seat has 100 CDs and 60 movies on demand (fwd, pause etc), 12 TV networks, multiplayer gaming (challenge a friend at seat 33b fo example), a fucking SNES with 20+ games, the best airline food on earth, oh and STUNNING hot hostesses with tailored tight body suits etc. Consistently won evey airline security and safety award out there too. It's just one of those amazing deals that slipped though the cracks of the 21st century.


edit: oh and Singapore airlines is part of star alliance, so you collect miles towards United etc as well.

I'm on complete agreement with you. whenever i fly to Italy i fly British Airways, they're AWESOME. Personal monitor, and a choice of 13 stations including 7 feature film channels showing newly released movies. Great customer service, and flight attendants with British accents giving you the impression you're being served by Mr Belvedere, or some distinguished British servant.
Plus their jets are powered by Roll Royce engines, the smoothest i've even(not) heard.....

 

[DCharlie]

"Rude staff"

i'd heard all the rumours , but god damn i was stunned with the attitude of the staff when i had the "pleasure" of flying NWA.

Service industry 101 , page 1 , first line : "DON'T BE FUCKING RUDE TO YOUR CUSTOMERS!!!"

obviously, the NWA rule book has the first word tippex'ed out.

"do you want coffee or tea?.... WELL PUT YOUR CUP UP THEN!! Duuuuuuuuuh! GOOD GOD, ARE YOU STUPID?!?"

those are actual words from the mouth of a very old, ugly NWA flight attendent to an old japanese guy sitting behind me. Shocking stuff