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

[cbjl]

Hey, I have a question for you guys, do I have to wait for them to call me about the change, or can I call them and request a refund right away?

I would call them to discuss the options - they might offer you an alternate flight, or a refund, or nothing. But, I wouldn't wait for them to call you, and I would be prepared for a looong hold time if other flights get cancelled overnight....

 

[Inkmahm]

I just went on Midwest site and plugged in my days, and the return flight is on northwest. We first fly into Indianapolis, and then the return airplane must be a puddle jumper! It only has 26 seats on it!!! and 1/2 are already taken! I think the pudle jumper is still Midwest. What a headache!

The return date is October 26th, and if you check out the other flights, there are no changes yet, but ours is changed.

Instead of getting in at 2pm, it is now at 7:10 pm with a 5 hour layover in Indianapolis!


This is actually good news for me, because I already booked with another airline, and hopefully I can get a refund! Keeping my fingers crossed.

I'm supposed to be back at 2 pm on 10/21, flight 891! That's already a change from my original morning flight. Getting back at 7:10 pm would completely wipe out the day at work for me.

I just checked Midwest and your original flight on the 26th is still there but there is only one open seat and the cost for that return flight has sky rocketed. It looks somehow like they bumped you to the Northwest and booked other people on your flight in your place?

 

[cbjl]

I just checked the new July timetable, and it still shows 2 flights daily between MKE & MCO, with some slight time adjustments in August, still both listed as MD-80s, too.
So, it looks like so far, 890/891 & 894/895 are safe for now. They have discontinued #898 (the 6:30 pm MKE-MCO) eff Sept. 7, and the first flight back (#899/9am) will end Sept. 8.
This follows the same info that Inkmahm posted back on page 6 about Midwest canceling the last flight out & first flight back.


Princess Vija -
Did the change in flight come up after checking your confirmation code (in your account info on the website) or after plugging in dates on the travel planner (as if booking a new ticket)?
I'm wondering if the NW flight through IND came up because your flight was full - or were you on 898 or 899?

 

[Inkmahm]

I just checked the new July timetable, and it still shows 2 flights daily between MKE & MCO, with some slight time adjustments in August, still both listed as MD-80s, too.
So, it looks like so far, 890/891 & 894/895 are safe for now. They have discontinued #898 (the 6:30 pm MKE-MCO) eff Sept. 7, and the first flight back (#899/9am) will end Sept. 8.
This follows the same info that Inkmahm posted back on page 6 about Midwest canceling the last flight out & first flight back.


Princess Vija -
Did the change in flight come up after checking your confirmation code (in your account info on the website) or after plugging in dates on the travel planner (as if booking a new ticket)?
I'm wondering if the NW flight through IND came up because your flight was full - or were you on 898 or 899?

The cancellations of the last flight to Orlando and the first flight from Orlando were made BEFORE the announcement about grounding the MD-80's. Back then I was told those flights were becoming "seasonal" flights and the plan was to have them return to the schedule in January. I don't believe the schedule changes regarding grounding the MD-80's have been made yet. They aren't expected to be announced for another 3 weeks or so.

 

[DisOrBust]

They still have the same three flight on my dates 9/5-9/14 up with no changes. I am praying that I get lucky and the changes are after my dates.

Some on flyertalk are saying some of "grounding all the planes talk" may be just a way to get union concessions, but who knows what anyone really knows at this point.

FWIW: I have driven twice. It's 21 hours giver or take Atlanta. Wish gas and expenses it's still cheaper to fly. After this fiasco I will be flying out of ORD or MDW. ORD is 2 hrs from MKE and really not that bad. I haven't done MDW but hear its similar to MKE. Beside SW is there.

It may sound stupid but I am really sad to see the "hometown" airline bite the dust. I know its a company but I always had a spark of prde when someone from Chicago would say how great it was and the y would drive up just to fly Midwest. I really hope they make it.

 

[faberj]

We also just got back from Orlando and had many problems with Midwest. Both the flight out and the flight back were delayed, with the return delayed by over 4 hours. We didnt' pull into our driveway until 3am.... I figure that between DME, security checks, etc, it was well over 12 hours. Now I'm thinking about driving down....

Has anyone driven from MKE to WDW?

[two more days to our trip and 2 more nights of hotel stays along the way.[/COLOR]

How long? How's the drive? Any suggestions?

COLOR="Blue"]DH and I have looked into driving if we had to. I think we would rent a car so we did not put all those miles and wear on our car, but for the length of our trip it would cost close to $500.00 for a midsize car, plus gas and that would be a lot more then what we paid for airfare.

It depends on where you live in Wisconsin for the time, but from the airport (MKE) it is about 20.5 hours (about 1300 miles) (depending on road construction and weather, our trip is in December) With a car that gets about 30 miles per gallon (12 gallon tank) would cost $385.00 round trip just to get there and back.

As for how is the drive...LONG! I haven't done it sicne I was very young (6) and we took a few days to get there and a few days to get home. If DH and I drove we would leave our home around 4 AM and drive until we couldn't and then finish the drive the next morning. That would also add 2 more days to our trip and two more nights at hotels (1 on the way down and 1 on the way home).

 

[macraven]

FWIW: I have driven twice. It's 21 hours giver or take Atlanta. Wish gas and expenses it's still cheaper to fly. After this fiasco I will be flying out of ORD or MDW. ORD is 2 hrs from MKE and really not that bad. I haven't done MDW but hear its similar to MKE. Beside SW is there.

It may sound stupid but I am really sad to see the "hometown" airline bite the dust. I know its a company but I always had a spark of prde when someone from Chicago would say how great it was and the y would drive up just to fly Midwest. I really hope they make it.

i am 37 minutes from mitchell field and 47 minutes from o'hare.
i prefer mitchell as it is not as crowded and congested as ohare.

i started to book midwest but at the last minute chose the United flight out of o'hare. midwest had my flight for $15 less than United at the time i booked.

if you don't want to use milwaukee, and decide to use ohare, i have a suggestion many have been using.
drive down the night before and stay at one of the hotels near the ohare airport. most have free shuttle to the airport.
you can get FREE parking long term at the hotel while you are on your vacation.

in the long run, it might be cheaper and offset the hotel price for that one night since the free parking is thrown in.

if you drive and park your car in the outer long term lots, you are still paying too much. and, you have to take a bus shuttle to the airport once you park at that lot. (it is over 2 miles away from the airport)

if you switch airports, crunch the numbers to see how it works for you.
use priceline or a similar program to get the room for less $$

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Ok, This is frustrating...
I plugged in the dates and that changed flight is gone. I know I wasn't seeing things... I even brought DH over to the computer to verify what I saw. Either it was a major glitch in the system, or I don't know what.

Princess Vija -
Was it flight #891 that was changed from nonstop to a Northwest via Indianapolis?
Just wondering b/c we're on 891 in Nov, and I haven't seen it change yet...
I guess more might change by tomorrow since it's the start of a new month...
Thanks for the info.

Yes, It was the 891 flight.

I'm supposed to be back at 2 pm on 10/21, flight 891! That's already a change from my original morning flight. Getting back at 7:10 pm would completely wipe out the day at work for me.

I just checked Midwest and your original flight on the 26th is still there but there is only one open seat and the cost for that return flight has sky rocketed. It looks somehow like they bumped you to the Northwest and booked other people on your flight in your place?

I have no idea what they did. And yes, those flights back are FULL!!! Where are they going to put everyone?

Princess Vija -
Did the change in flight come up after checking your confirmation code (in your account info on the website) or after plugging in dates on the travel planner (as if booking a new ticket)?
I'm wondering if the NW flight through IND came up because your flight was full - or were you on 898 or 899?

This change came up on the travel planner.

It may sound stupid but I am really sad to see the "hometown" airline bite the dust. I know its a company but I always had a spark of prde when someone from Chicago would say how great it was and the y would drive up just to fly Midwest. I really hope they make it.

I know! Me too!!! I was always loyal. Loved the nonstop flights and "the best care in the air". Even though sometimes it was more expensive, we still stayed loyal

 

[McDISer]

I was talking to a few people around my town, and they told me they have stock with Midwest. They also said, they know others that also have stock. I never knew Midwest was a public company.

Someone said Milwaukee and O'hare is 2 hours apart. It is a little less that that. But right now, there is major road construction from Wisconsin state line south into Illinois about 30 miles. We just came home from Great America. When we were on a ride, we saw 94 had major back-up going both ways today. It wasn't to bad, when we drove down this morning at 9:00, but all day it was horrible. We started for home at 9:30 tonite and it was just starting to let up.

 

[Inkmahm]

I was talking to a few people around my town, and they told me they have stock with Midwest. They also said, they know others that also have stock. I never knew Midwest was a public company.

No, Midwest was sold and is a private company. It WAS a public company before that.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121451108418908263.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

 

[Inkmahm]

http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/...nes-heading-toward-bankruptcy.html?id=2627137

Midwest Airlines is officially on bankruptcy watch, following news it will reduce its fleet by half and lay off hundreds of employees. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Midwest executives are hoping to restructure the airline's finances within 30 days, after which the carrier will be more or less out of cash.

Part of that restructuring will be pay cuts of up to 65 percent for employees that survive the layoffs. Some pilots could also suffer job downgrades, essentially demotions that could further reduce their pay. Midwest's staff has already endured several pay cuts (flight attendants start at a mere $6.50 an hour, just a shade above minimum wage), so it seems likely the unions will resist these new, severe pay reductions. The pilots' union has already called the proposed cuts "unacceptable."


Fleet reductions will focus on the carrier's least-efficient planes (MD-80s) and will largely affect Midwest's flights from Milwaukee to the West Coast. Losing these itineraries could give AirTran an opportunity to increase its service there. When AirTran made a hostile takeover bid for Midwest (a move that was spurned), it vowed to increase departures from Milwaukee, and may now have its chance.

Overall, Midwest's future is murky at best. Fleet and staff reductions of this magnitude sniff strongly of desperation, and it may already be too late for management to save the airline. Plus, if employee unions fight the pay cuts, a major component of Midwest's restructuring plan will be put on hold as the two sides negotiate. Northwest has a 47 percent stake in the carrier, meaning Midwest (or some version of it) could be incorporated into a merged Delta-Northwest.

So what's a fan of Midwest (or ticketed passenger) to do? For now, pay attention to the news, and book with caution (and with PayPal—you'll get $50 off your ticket if you book by July 14). From the sound of things, Midwest is racing against the clock, and we'll have a clearer understanding of its fate within the next few weeks.

 

[OhMari]

So what's a fan of Midwest (or ticketed passenger) to do? For now, pay attention to the news, and book with caution (and with PayPal—you'll get $50 off your ticket if you book by July 14). From the sound of things, Midwest is racing against the clock, and we'll have a clearer understanding of its fate within the next few weeks.

There would be no way, I would book a ticket with Midwest. I'm the sitting duck, just waiting to get shot out of the water.

I found this today on a local newstations.

Midwest Airline's CEO To Take 40 Percent Pay Cut

POSTED: 1:21 pm CDT July 2, 2008


MILWAUKEE -- Midwest Air Group Inc.'s chief executive says the company is cutting pay for many employees, including a 40 percent cut for himself.

Tim Hoeksema told employees in a memo Wednesday the airline must make changes to survive amid soaring fuel costs.

Midwest plans to ask unions for pilots and flight attendants to approve pay cuts that would bring their salaries in line with others in the industry.

Hoeksema said Midwest pilots make 32 percent more than their counterparts elsewhere, while flight attendants make about 23 percent more.

Maintenance technicians and professional staff will see pay cuts of up to 10 percent.

Hoeksema will lose 40 percent of his salary starting July 15.

According to the memo, other executives and senior management will see the following cuts:


Senior vice presidents -- 25 percent reduction in total pay
Officers (vice presidents) -- 17 percent reduction in total pay
Directors and senior managers will take an 11 percent reduction in total pay

 

[Inkmahm]

MD-80 routes:

Milwaukee to:
Ft. Lauderdale
Ft. Myers
Kansas City (Flt. 918 only)
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Orlando
Phoenix
San Francisco
Seattle/Tacoma
Tampa


Kansas City to:
Milwaukee (Flt. 921 only)
San Francisco

 

[faberj]

Anyone thinking about the poss. of driving from WI to WDW??? Dh and I started discussing the other night. With the airline issues and now the WDW bus transportation issues we actually might consider driving even though it is almost 22 hours.

 

[DisBoosh]

We just got back from a week in Orlando and had nothing but trouble with Midwest Airlines. They did get us down to Fla. on our scheduled flight (barely), but all 5 of us got bumped on the way home. So, Midwest put us up in a hotel for an extra night, paid our food vouchers & gave us $75 flight vouchers each. Like gluttons, we immediately used those $75 vouchers and booked another Orlando trip for next May. A few days later, the talk of bankruptcy and cancelling MD80s began. So, we're not expecting much out of them, but hopefully they will at least get us on another airline as a last resort? We don't want the refunds, because (with using the vouchers) our tickets came to only $174 each. However, once this next trip is over, we will never fly Midwest again!

 

[mapmakerj]

Anyone thinking about the poss. of driving from WI to WDW??? Dh and I started discussing the other night. With the airline issues and now the WDW bus transportation issues we actually might consider driving even though it is almost 22 hours.

Yep! We are driving from Oshkosh next June. In fact, this will be our 3rd time driving since 2004. We actually don't mind the drive. We drive to GA the first day and then on to WDW the second. We now have some places we need to stop at on every drive and they have become part of the trek. It's kind of fun to see what new things you can discover along the way. We make a point to eat at a Cracker Barrel and a Waffle House and we also stop at a peach/ pecan grower in GA that has a cute gift shop and small restaurant. (Got to have the homemade peach ice cream!) FYI, for anyone interested it is near Perry, Ga and it is called Lane Packing (they do have a website.) At first, I thought of the drive as such a long chore, but I have come to think of it as the adventure leading up to the prize!

 

[Inkmahm]

Anyone thinking about the poss. of driving from WI to WDW??? Dh and I started discussing the other night. With the airline issues and now the WDW bus transportation issues we actually might consider driving even though it is almost 22 hours.

No way. I did this in college for spring break and I'm way past the days of spending 21 hours in a car to get to Florida.

I pick flights to use the least amount of my vacation time as possible so that I can go on as many vacations as possible. Travel time is a necessary evil in my book, not part of the vacation.

 

[Inkmahm]

I just did my daily check of all my airline reservtions. Then I checked if they are booking NEW reservations for the same flights. My flight in March on Midwest went from $221.50 to $498.50 - a 225% increase since I booked it! And this is on the "seasonal" flights that I don't think will even BE there next March at this point.

 

[faberj]

I just did my daily check of all my airline reservtions. Then I checked if they are booking NEW reservations for the same flights. My flight in March on Midwest went from $221.50 to $498.50 - a 225% increase since I booked it! And this is on the "seasonal" flights that I don't think will even BE there next March at this point.

I just did my daily check and they are still offering my flight in December (on the no longer existing MD80) but now the price is $762.96 (for two people) and when I purchaced our tickets back in March paid $505.00 (for two). It is up $257.96.

 

[leeann32]

I just checked the flights on my dates (9/7/08- 9/12/08) They cut half of the flights for those days.
There use to be 4 leaving- 1 @ 7:55am, 11:35, 2:55 & 6:35pm
Now there's only 2 - 7:55m & 2:55pm
We booked the 7:55am, I'm so happy it's one of the 2 left!


Hopefully there's no more cuts!!!