Midwest to ground all MD80's by the fall [MERGED]

[cbjl]

I just got an email and an automated call from Midwest for our Jan. flights.
They said they were changing my return flight, but all of the information was the same. (flight 895, leaving MCO 7:20pm, return MKE 9:05)

It did make me jump a bit, though, to get the email with "schedule change notification" from Midwest.

Has anyone else gotten a call or email today?

 

[faberj]

I have not gotten any calls or emails today. I am waiting until Friday to see if they drop Orlando.

 

[OhMari]

I just got an email and an automated call from Midwest for our Jan. flights.
They said they were changing my return flight, but all of the information was the same. (flight 895, leaving MCO 7:20pm, return MKE 9:05)

It did make me jump a bit, though, to get the email with "schedule change notification" from Midwest.

Has anyone else gotten a call or email today?

I got a call and a e-mail notifying me of a schedule change last May. When I looked at the itinerary, I didn't see any changes. Then 2 weeks later, I noticed thier departure time got dropped.
My sons are flying out Nov. 13. They were suppose to be on the 6:30 p.m. flight. Those flights were discontinued last May. So we moved them to 11:55 a.m. on Nov. 13.

I received a phone call and a e-mail, June 26. I called and did IM and we still don't see any changes.

I'm sure by this Friday-we will hopefully all know.

 

[twinsplusone]

I didn't hear from them either. We're going in Feb. I'm anxiously waiting for Friday too. I just want to get this settled. It's very unnerving for me. The biggest thing is losing the money if they just go under. So I don't know if I should be hoping Orlando is gone and just go on another airline or will another airline be in the same boat in a few months? I never dreamed I'd be worried about the airfare once I booked it last March.

 

[DisOrBust]

I THINK I have big News:

In my obsession of hourly checking my flights they were gone for a while but then back. I did a Kayak search for my dates and direct NWA flights showed up at my times but operated by MidWest. NWA hasn't had a direct flight to mco for at least 2 years.

So all the conspiracy theorists who said TPG only bought MDW to serve it up on a plate for NWA just might have been right. The 140 barrel of oil only sped up the whole process.


here it is:
Review the flight details
flight Fri 5-Sep-08
Milwaukee (MKE)
Depart 7:55 am to Orlando (MCO)
Arrive 11:30 am
1,060 mi
(1,706 km)
Duration: 2hr 35mn
NW Northwest
Flight: 7852
Operated by: MIDWEST AIRLINES
3Economy/Coach Class, Boeing 757
Please check in with Midwest Airlines. If checking in at a kiosk, use your name rather than confirmation number.
Total distance: 1,060 mi (1,706 km)
Total duration: 2hr 35mn
flight Sun 14-Sep-08
Orlando (MCO)
Depart 7:20 pm to Milwaukee (MKE)
Arrive 9:05 pm
1,060 mi
(1,706 km)
Duration: 2hr 45mn
NW Northwest
Flight: 7851
Operated by: MIDWEST AIRLINE

 

[DisOrBust]

It's now a boeing 757

 

[cbjl]

Great sleuthing!

That would be a better solution than anything I imagined - just changing to a NWA flight, still nonstop would be great.
I checked the Midwest & NWA sites & didn't see anything there (yet), but Orbitz & Expedia are selling those flights on 757s, too.

(NWA 7852=YX890 MKE 7:55am/MCO 11:30am Boeing 757,
NWA 7849=YX891 MCO 12:15pm/MKE 2:05pm Boeing 757)

I hope it's true & not just some misprint somewhere

 

[McKelly]

sO, if this is true, can Midwest flyers now use Magical Express on the way back, being we would be flying on Northwest jets?

 

[Inkmahm]

Could it just be code sharing of some kind between NW and Midwest? The original Midwest flights are still for sale...

 

[Emmabean2000]

I have a feeling it might be code sharing. When I looked at the flights on Expedia, I chose to "preview seat availability" and it came back with a MD81 flight configuration. I plugged in the NWA flight number, and it is flying today as well, on an MD80. I am HOPING that all it will take is a shift to NWA, but it seems to be to coincidental...ie the exact same flight times...

 

[CarolA]

sO, if this is true, can Midwest flyers now use Magical Express on the way back, being we would be flying on Northwest jets?

You could always use ME. The part you might not have been able to use was the resort luggage check.

And I don't know how that would work since you are still ticketed on Midwest!

 

[McKelly]

You could always use ME. The part you might not have been able to use was the resort luggage check.

And I don't know how that would work since you are still ticketed on Midwest!

That is what I meant, using it for luggage check on the way back.

 

[lulu2]

I don't know much about airline stuff but yesterday I booked a flight to Vegas for late February. I booked it over the phone with Expedia. Online the airline said NWA but the person I spoke with on the phone said it is NWA but operated by Midwest, so he said I need to check in with the Midwest gate. I don't care because the rate was $159 roundtrip. I prefer to fly Midwest.

 

[leeann32]

My flight to MCO is now listed as NWA, on expedia's website. The return flight to MKE is still #895 on a MD-80

I will just keep checking daily (hourly)

 

[Inkmahm]

My flight to MCO is now listed as NWA, on expedia's website.

But it is ALSO listed as a Midwest flight? That's what made me think code sharing, the flights listed as both Midwest and NWA with the notation that the route is being flown by Midwest.

 

[leeann32]

But it is ALSO listed as a Midwest flight? That's what made me think code sharing, the flights listed as both Midwest and NWA with the notation that the route is being flown by Midwest.

Yep, NWA flight operated by Midwest Airlines.

What does this mean? The ticket was sold by Midwest, but we are going to be on a Northwest plane? What happens to our seats? Do we get to choose them over again? Do we check in @ Midwest or Northwest ticket counter?
Now I'm even more confused???

 

[Emmabean2000]

Others can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe you are flying on a Midwest flight, and through a code sharing agreement, NWA has access to Midwest flights. This is not uncommon. You can book a flight through NWA, and get your tickets through NWA, but when you see your plane, it will be the good ol' blue of Midwest (providing there are no major changes in the upcoming months ). You do not have to change any seating arrangements, as NWA has access to Midwests seating arrangements too. We are doing this in December for another trip, using NWA frequent flier miles, but travelling on Continental through the code sharing. If you booked your reservations with Northwest, then check in with Northwest.

 

[rainbowsandroses]

Others can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe you are flying on a Midwest flight, and through a code sharing agreement, NWA has access to Midwest flights. This is not uncommon. You can book a flight through NWA, and get your tickets through NWA, but when you see your plane, it will be the good ol' blue of Midwest (providing there are no major changes in the upcoming months ). You do not have to change any seating arrangements, as NWA has access to Midwests seating arrangements too. We are doing this in December for another trip, using NWA frequent flier miles, but travelling on Continental through the code sharing. If you booked your reservations with Northwest, then check in with Northwest.

My husband, who just just left a job in software programming for the travel industry, says this is correct. There is a marketing airline and an operating airline and this is an example of code-sharing.

 

[leeann32]

Others can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe you are flying on a Midwest flight, and through a code sharing agreement, NWA has access to Midwest flights. This is not uncommon. You can book a flight through NWA, and get your tickets through NWA, but when you see your plane, it will be the good ol' blue of Midwest (providing there are no major changes in the upcoming months ). You do not have to change any seating arrangements, as NWA has access to Midwests seating arrangements too. We are doing this in December for another trip, using NWA frequent flier miles, but travelling on Continental through the code sharing. If you booked your reservations with Northwest, then check in with Northwest.

We booked with Midwest on a MD80. What confuses me, is now it's listed as a 757? Midwest doesn't fly 757's, therefore, I assume we are going to be flying out on a NWA 757 jet, which is fine with me!

 

[cbjl]

The only thing that makes me question whether it is just codesharing of existing flights is the listing of 757 for plane type on a few websites (for Nov dates, anyhow).

If they really are 757s, then they can't be part of Midwest's existing fleet, since they only fly (currently) 717s and MD-80s.

But, if others are seeing MD-80s on seat maps instead of 757s (does NWA fly these as 3x3?), it looks more like a misprint or typo.

Going for the glass-half-full view, I'm hoping that it's an indication of things to be announced on Friday, and that somehow Midwest is getting their hands on a few 757s from their friendly minority investor (painted NW or Midwest) to fill in the holes left by the grounding of the MD-80s. We'll see....