What's going to happen to NWA?

Any predictions? Anyone here with inside knowledge about what will happen or is likely to happen?

I booked with Delta next month because it looks like NWA will be on strike then. That solves my immediate problem.

But what about the longer term problem if NWA goes on strike or folds? In particular, what will happen to the MSP airport which seems to fly over 90% NWA?

From what I can tell, the demands on the machinists seem very unreasonable. I don't see how NWA is going to rebound from this.

And told the flight attendants that they will not be allowed to sympathy strike. So, perhaps the impact will be minimal.

If they strike and run 90% of the flights into/out of an airport, passengers are screwed. Actually, the workers may be screwed, because the government will probably order them back to work.

If the airline goes bankrupt, their routes become an asset that can be "sold" to another airline. Basically, some other airline can move in.

Then they will be ordered back to work. Soon NWA will declare bankruptsy and kiss the pensions goodbye for the loyal, hardworking union members.

As a former flight attendant for NWA, I hope that this serves as a wake-up call for those greedy CEO's up there. I hate how in the paper, on the same page, you see how they were asking US to take pay cuts while Richard Anderson was getting a raise.

They cut pretzels. They told us to only give out a cup of soda b/c it was too expensive (big friggen deal, I'd give the whole can anywah) and then they started SELLING snacks. They take away pillows, and now they are charging employees for travel perks, which was a company perk when we got hired on. They treat their employees like crap. I know people at one of NWA's regionals on the jet and their lives are a living hell. They work constantly and are making $17,000 a year to FLY THE DAMN PLANE! Ask them how much they care. Ask the flight attendant who works her butt off and makes $14,000 a year how much she cares. When someone is rude to her, ask her how much she grins and bears it. NWA was NEVER known for their customer service... Maybe now you know why. Personally, I hope that the mechanics stick it to them, and stick it to them good. I know NWA has a lot more money than what they want us to believe, and they're pulling this "woo is me" type of thing to make the public side with them. NWA isn't going anywhere. It's like the scare tactics Bush used... Unfortunately the big assholes usually win.

By the way, I have no idea why consumers aren't more outraged by this non-union mechanics working on their planes. They aren't nearly as skilled as the ones that are trained to do this, and obviously don't take pride in their business if they don't work in a union. I'd start writing letters, and writing letters now.

when that happens or they get more problems they cannot easily hide or sweep under the carpet, that is when the flying pubic will take notice. Sad but true.

There is a lot more going on backstage than they let you know about, unfortunately. There have been 3 incidents at the regional I referred to in my above post since October alone. I think KARE 11, and KSTP discussed the crash of Flt. #3701 for about 30 seconds a piece. There was very little coverage in the Pioneer Press (sorry, partial to St. Paul cause I grew up there).. Because it was a non-commercial leg (ferry flight). Other incidents have included a pilot skidding completely off the runway in both LaGuardia and Milwaulkee. This regional skimps on training for the pilots and makes them pay to train at their airline. NWA doesn't have a problem with the lack of training these pilots are having, and when an incident happens, they say, "Well, the pilot wasn't really in control." Gee, how comfortable would that make me feel if I was a revenue paying passenger? Don't get me wrong, there are some excellent pilots there, too, but incidents like this do need to be brought to public attention. Maybe then, and only then, will the demand for decent training and UNION mechanics be met.

Sorry to rant and rave, I appreciate all of you for taking the time to hear a my perspective! :)

Japan this fall.

I've already determined that I'll fly ANA or JAL from the West Coast or Chicago rather than be cooped up in an NWA plane for twelve hours.

Anybody have any experience flying Midwest or Sun Country to the West Coast?

America West out to the West Coast before. While the service isn't the best, they do everything on time. Other than that, American is excellent and I actually like United, too. Sucks to go through Chicago, but if you don't want to sit on a NWA plane for 12 hours I'd recommend though.

would I fly NWA til they straighten this out. In May I made reservations for 2 flights that normally I would have flown NWA, but this time I chose another airline.

You'd suspect as much but it's nice to hear from someone behind the scenes. Yeah, every time I see that prick CEO on TV moaning about cutting labor costs, I want to ask him if they'll cut labor prices on upper management. What do their salaries amount to, a few hundred mechanics?

Glad that someone can see past his little cry fest every time he's on TV moaning about the bad times at the airlines :). I'm sure my former colleagues would appreciate that other people, not just NWA employees, can see it! :)

and I heard stories from them about how their jobs had stopped being any fun at all with constant cost cutting and sneaky ways of cutting back or firing the most experienced employees.

One experienced check-in agent who had been with them for nearly thirty years was convinced that they were trying to irritate her into quitting, because they kept changing her schedule so drastically from week to week that she couldn't even make plans for a haircut.

That's pathetic. Almost as bad as NWA "we screwed up and paid you a sick day when you didn't take one, next paycheck you'll be docked x amount of dollars." (half the time it wasn't true, BTW).

And customers wonder about their service!!!!!