Dealing with the NWA uncertainty

[DisMN]

I could use some suggestions here please.
DH and I are heading down to Orlando later this month. It could be very hit and miss with NWA whether or not they'll even be flying when we're planning to go.
How do we deal with the uncertainty of it? We don't have a cell phone but we're seriously considering getting one that we'd use to help make fast reservations on another airline if we had to.

Does that make any sense to plan something like that? I guess I'd bring along a list of phone # for other airlines??? I'm really at a loss on how to handle this without making myself go crazy thinking about it. LOL

 

[bicker]

It is very unlikely that NW will cease operations anytime soon, so what you're worried about then is a strike. In that case, other airlines will try to accommodate you as best as they can (far more so than in the case of ceasing operations, since NW will pay them for the accommodation). That just doesn't seem too likely for this month.

 

[safetymom]

I would keep an eye on the Northwest forum at www.flyertalk.com They will have a pretty good idea of what is going on with the airline.

 

[vfb2girls]

Am I missing something here on NWA? What exactly is the problem with them and why won't they be flying? I haven't paid much attention to the airline news and since we are flying NWA on our March trip I figured I better get the scoop of what is happening. I already thought they were on strike? Sure hope nothing does stop them from flying because this airline is probably our only option in our area.

 

[vicb]

I think the OP is referring to talk of a pilots strike in mid-Feb. I am keeping my ears open since I fly out late Feb on NW. The pilots are concerned about restructuring plans which will place more of them on lower paying regional routes if I am interpreting the info correctly. One said on our local news that they (pilots) are ready to "take the airlines down with them rather than accept any more pay cuts". Oh dear!

 

[bicker]

It was the same thing with the Delta pilots -- in the end, they gave in rather than commit vocational suicide.

 

[Brian Noble]

Striking an airline in bankruptcy will certainly hurt the airline, but the employees are as much as quitting their jobs: the bankruptcy judge will almost certainly allow the airline to immediately hire permanent replacements.

The pilots are rattling their sabers, and nothing more.

 

[pugdog]

Actually it's not the pilots that are causeing the uproar right now. It's the flight attendents that are voicing a strike. It would only happen if the bankruptcy judge rules for NWA and voids all the union contracts that NWA has with all of the remaining unions.
As far as the machanics go they are now basiclly a non issue to anything that is related to NWA and will not affect the airline in anyway. ug:

 

[malibuconlee]

I haven't been following the situation, but I know they are starting to lay off flight attendents again. My friend that works for NW was furloughed for over 2 years after 9-11. Went back to work about a year ago and is getting laid off soon. I'll have to go look for the card she sent me to see when.

 

[disneymom3]

Well, the pilots were the ones walking around with signs at MSP this last week. They were not yet on strike but they are not happy about proposed reductions either. Just a few years ago the pilots took what they say is a 29% paycut. ( I haven't kept up with the details and there are always two sides to every story.) So, right now, the pilots are mad, the flight attendants are talking about striking and the mechanics are still on strike even though the bankruptcy court has allowed NWA to hire permanent replacements. Things aren't goin' too well for them. And I can't see the state of MN bailing them out again as at this point I think the public would really freak out.


I'll be flying this weekend to use up my frequent flyer miles. I don't think they are going anywhere anytime really soon--like by the end of the month--but I don't have a lot of faith in them either.

 

[vfb2girls]

So I know about the mechanic's strike but if the attendents decided to go on strike do you think that NWA will find replacements for them also? We are flying with NWA the first week of March and I will not be to happy to have them not up and running when it comes time for our vacation. Way to much money that has been invested in this trip, some of which is non-refundable, and where we live we only have United is are other option to fly to Orlando. So now should I be really worried? Does NWA have any obligation to find us other means of transportation or are we just out of luck?

 

[bicker]

The assumption is that any major strike that a bankrupt cannot operate in spite of would prompt the ceasing of operations for that airline... the airline would simply go out of business. Here's a link to a website with lots of information about such a situation:

http://www.hasbrouck.org/articles/bankruptcy.html

What happens to ticket holders if an airline goes out of business or is liquidated through bankruptcy?
Ticket holders are considered "unsecured creditors". As such, they are among the last people to get paid, if there is anything left after all the secured creditors (such as aircraft leasing companies) are paid. In most recent airline liquidations, ticket holders have gotten nothing. At most, they would get pennies on the dollar, at least if they bought their tickets in the USA.