Urgent:northwest Airlines Misconnection Notification

peterc2609

I've just received an email with the above title from Expedia.com.au about some flights I booked a few weeks back to NYC.

I was due to go from Man - AMS @ 14.05 on 27/11, then AMS-JFK @ 18.10.

The flights were with NWA/KLM....

The rest of the email says:

Please note that NORTHWEST AIRLINES has advised of the following major impacts to your booking:

Your flight on 27 November 2008 from amsterdam to new york has some misconnection due to schedule change,

An Expedia agent will be in touch with you by phone to review the options available. Alternatively, if you would prefer to talk to somebody immediately, please feel free to contact us on 1300 EXPEDIA (1300 397 3342) or on +61 3 9639 5154 for calls outside Australia. Our hours of operations are from Monday to Friday, 08.00 to 22.00, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 09.00 - 19.00 (AEST).

As they are 12ish hours ahead they are now closed.... anyone any ideas what this could mean???

richardw

Go to https://www.nwa.com My reservations and see what the current status is.

peterc2609

All I have is Expedia.com.au itinery number....

And expedia won't let me see anything,.... I just get a message to give them a call!

richardw

Is the NWA ref on the original e mail they sent you?

mad_rich

Most likely is that one or other of your flights has been cancelled or re-timed.

In fact, I can't find the 1810 flight on sale, so I'd guess that's the one that's gone.

The only other KLM/NWA flight is at 1335, which would mean leaving MAN at 0835.

You could also try to get them to rebook you onto the direct Continental flight.

peterc2609

So angry.
Right... bit of background.
GF will be 5 months pregnant when we go... last hol before baby etc etc... Hotel already booked.
Originally booked the following flights:
27th November 2008
NW8742 14:00 MAN-AMS
NW8643 18:10 AMS-JFK
Arriving at 20:20
I then got an email saying that the AMS-JFK flight had changed to 13:35 (now NW8641) - which meant that the MAN-AMS flight would not get into AMS in time fo make the connection.
I then got an email this morning saying that they could offer the following,
27th November 2008
NW8434 MAN-AMS 06:00
NW063 AMS-EWR 10:40
Arriving at 13:25 into NEWARK (Not even New York) slap bang in the middle of Thanksgiving Day... with a 5 month pregnant lady.
I called Expedia.com.au, and explained that I'd like to go on the NW063 flight from MAN-AMS and the original NW8641 at 13:35...
They said OK, and then called me back and said the flights were 'married pairs' and would not be sold like that. But I could pay to go Business Class all the way (Can't afford it)
I don't know what to do... I asked if they could change my flight to go via Paris or anywhere, but they said they didn't think so.
Is the ANYTHING I can do??
All I want to do is get a reasonable flight from MAN-JFK, arriving on the 27th into JFK and not Newark!!
Tried to speak to NWA/KLM, but they will only deal with Expedia... Expedia are in Oz so its costing me a fortune on the phone and can only really call early in the morning...
Are Expedia obliged to do anything or am I stuck with the Newark flights??
It just seems so unreasonable... we were originally booked on a afternoon flight arriving at a reasonable time... which would be ideal for the GF... but not with the Newark flights we would have to get up at like 2am and have a really really long journey.
HELP, please.

richardw

Newark is OK.
IMHO it is better arriving at 13.25 at EWR than 20.20 at JFK on thanksgiving day.
AMS-EWR is operated by a A330 aircraft which has 2-4-2 seating, which is great for 2 people travelling together.
Try a https://www.telediscount.co.uk number for Aus.

mad_rich

First off, I presume you booked this on expedia.com.au because of the dirt-cheap deal a couple of months ago. If that's the case, then spending 'a fortune on the phone' is part and parcel of playing that game. You'll just have to deal with it.

Agree that EWR is no problem. As easy if not easier to get to downtown Manhattan than JFK. And if you didn't want to travel on thanksgiving...

You talk about having to get up at 2am for your flight to AMS. If that's not an exaggeration, then there may well be another airport you can fly from which opens up the options.

peterc2609

phone calls are not a biggy!!

Our flight from MAN to AMS is at 6am and so would need to be there at 3 or 4am so would need to get up at 2!

Just seems strange that they can change a flight and not offer anythign reasonable and no form of compensation or anything!!

richardw

peterc2609 wrote: »

Our flight from MAN to AMS is at 6am and so would need to be there at 3 or 4am so would need to get up at 2!

Call them and ask what time the check in desk opens.

Voyager2002

peterc2609 wrote: »

phone calls are not a biggy!!

Our flight from MAN to AMS is at 6am and so would need to be there at 3 or 4am so would need to get up at 2!

Just seems strange that they can change a flight and not offer anythign reasonable and no form of compensation or anything!!

It is the airline, rather than Expedia, that has changed the flights. Expedia have done their job and found alternative flights for you. It is the airline, rather than Expedia, who made the rule about flights being "married pairs" so that you could not have the alternative that you wanted. So by all means write to the complaints department of the airline and request compensation.

Personally, I think that you have ended up with something better than the original flights. I have entered the USA (and New York city) through both EWR and JFK, and would always choose Newark: a long wait for Immigration after a long flight is not my preference. And your holiday will be longer by a good few hours.

Early morning departures are no fun, but you need less time to check in and pass security then than at other times of day. And no need to allow time for traffic jams on the way to the airport. Make the most of on-line check in so that you can arrive as late as is prudent.

Above all, enjoy your fantastic cheap holiday and stop being upset about unexpected developments.