A smarter person would post this rant after they have successfully arrived at their final destination… but a smarter person wouldn’t have nearly this much fun.
Long story, short: My e-ticket said the flight left at 11:20, reality said it left at 11:05. We arrived 25 minutes before take-off, also known as 5 minutes after the you-can-get-on-the-flight deadline. Without even letting us say a word, the counter attendant was all like, “You’re 5 minutes too late! The plane has boarded. It’s taking off.” And then she walked off. About 7 minutes later, the intercom announces that my flight is now pre-boarding. Obviously, I was the happiest camper on earth! Or not. A nicer guy eventually came out (some 15 minutes later) and worked out my new flight schedule for tomorrow, got me a hotel room in town for tonight, and a $100 voucher on top of it all! No extra fees for me since the wrong e-ticket was all their fault.
Moral of the story: I hate Northwest Airlines. Hate. Hate. Hate. But, luckily for them, my schedule is more flexible than that Chinese guy on Ocean’s 11 who fit in ridiculously small spaces.
Well… I better get back to my Mountain Dew, Starburst, and Disney Channel party. (Honestly, there’s nothing else on!)
Why do I always have issues with flying? 
Arg!!! I hate it that you are only 150 miles away yet still out of hugging range!!!
So very sad. GRRRRR. Safe travels the rest of the way!
airlines can drive you nuts can’t they. I have cried on many a phone call with the airlines.
A few years back, urrrr, I mean, about seven or eight years, I almost became victim of an unintentional overnight layover in SLC. I arrived there from Phx. on a tight connection, but my flight wasn’t announced. I checked the monitors and my flight read “XLED” I asked the red-coated official about it. He looked up my name on a list and I was automatically transfered to a flight the next morning, which didn’t set well with me going home on Christmas break.
I went to the desk downstairs to avoid the long line at the one near the gate. I received a couple of five minute phone cards so I could call the Billings airport in attempt to reach my parents, and a food voucher to eat anywhere in the airport. I was placed on a standby list for the last flight to Billings that night. I killed my first phone card partly by waiting on hold and partly by having to convince the person answering that in spite of the announcement that the flight had been canceled, my parents would be there. I got to know the hallways of the SLC airport very well and had a good meal.
6 hours after arriving in SLC, a group of us headed to Billings gathered in the terminal awaiting being called. All the confirmed passengers were on and the names started being called. We said farewell and congratulated each one that was called. I felt like I was on Price is Right when I was summoned to the desk. Turns out I was second-to-last to board. I called Billings after getting on and the lady at the desk had been tracking the standby list for my parents, so they already knew I was on my way.
Because of the delay and weather, we spent the night in Billings. At any rate, it was good to get back. Ironically, my return flight to Phx. was delayed in Billings and caused me to miss my connection in SLC.
All that to say you’re not the only one.
Yes, airlines (especially Northwest) can bring a grown up to tears.
I think it was last year when we had a ticket purchased for Tieki Rae to come home for the summer from Ithaca to Casper. Anyway, their favorite thing to do is to let you spend several hundred dollars on the airline ticket, then email you (once they’ve ran your credit card through) letting you know that they’ve changed your itinerary. In this case, they had changed Tieki’s departure from 4:00 in the afternoon to 6:00 in the morning — giving her about a 9 hour layover in Minneapolis. So, I called them and let them know that this was not acceptable and we wanted her back on the 4:00 flight. They agreed and switched it back like it had been. Well, the next week when Tieki went the airport in Ithaca, to check in. The ticket agent informed her that there was a $100 charge for changing her ticket the week before. She tried to explain that it had been done by her mother, over the phone, and there was no charge because it was the route we had purchased in the first place. Well, the agent made it clear that she wasn’t checking in until she paid the $100 right there - so she paid it, because what do you do when you’re a homesick college student who just wants to get back to WY? That’s really not the good part though. Once she checked in, they informed her that the flight was full and she would be on the standby list. Needless to say, when she called me to tell me about this, I was kind of LIVID after paying close to $700 for the freaking ticket in the first place. Well, she made it on the flight, Northwest refunded the $100 within 30 days or so, but not without charging $25 for Tieki’s suitcase being overweight. This is just yet another reason why Northwest continues to be our personal favorite — just kidding
Seriously, if I was going to take the time to have two blogs, the 2nd one would be: <b>Why Northwest Airlines Suck so Bad</b>
“Mountain Dew”
ICKKK!
Yes TT — but wouldn’t it be delicious if they made it with that new sugar substitute you have?