How do you get a human at Northwest Airlines? Mom has cancer, getting run in circles trying to undo her flight

Question

Mom put a future flight on her credit card, then the Dr. found her cancer was back-aggressively. She is in hospice care, so medicated she cant sit up. Have been trying to undo this flight for three weeks, been bounced to SEVEN diferent phone numbers, where nobody can help. Actually got a response from the email web site "refunds" person, who wanted a letter from her Dr. faxed. We did. Hospice did. No response.
We are running out of time and any suggestions welcome.
This airline has given me and my family one of the worst customer service experiences I can remember.

Mom passed away Sunday, thank you Stuart, but "Skyhigh" thank you and bless you, pushing zero got me a human named Chris - The 1st person in the whole chain that also gave me his last name, and promised he had just issued a waiver and refund.

Answer 1

Trying to get a hold of any of the corporate top brass is a total waste of your valuable time.

The concensus from the frequent flyer crowd is that the "talk to us" option on the website is the most productive way to communicate with NWA. This correspondence is still staffed with actual NWA employees that do care, I promise.

It may also be worth a try with one more phone call. Call 1-800-225-2525, and after selecting "NEW RESERVATION" (they pay a lot of attention to this line), if you don't get a person press 0 until you do.

Tell them a NWA employee sent you! Best of luck, I do hope your Mom isn't in too much pain.

Answer 2

Take the letter from her Dr and go to the local airport. Take a copy of her reservation with you and ask to speak to a supervisor. They will document her record and provide the refund at the ticket counter. Even if you go after her date of travel its ok. You have a year from the date or purchase to handle this. Since she has a medical reason, there would be no questions about refunding her money.

If you purchased her ticket via a travel site like Hotwire, Priceline, Cheap Tickets...etc, you will have to go through them, Northwest can not touch those tickets regardless of reason.

While you may be worrying because you feel you are "running out of time", dont sweat it. As I said before, you have a year from the date or purchase to make any changes. If it goes beyond the travel date...its ok. The ticket number is all you will need and it is printed on the itinerary, I believe NW is 012-xxxxxxxxx.

Hope this helps...sorry to hear of her illness, but dont worry you have plenty of time no matter when she was supposed to fly.

Answer 3

Northwest Airlines
800‑225‑2525


Press 3 1.

Answer 4

Call a few of the key executives, and I suspect you'll get action quickly. Here you go:

Northwest Airlines Corp.
2700 Lone Oak Parkway
Eagan, MN 55121

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Web Site: http://www.nwa.com


Key executives:

Mr. Douglas M. Steenland
Chief Exec. Officer, Pres, Director, Chairman of Fin. Committee
and Member of People Committee

Mr. Neal S. Cohen
Chief Financial Officer and Exec. VP

Mr. Andrew C. Roberts
Exec. VP of Operations

Mr. J. Timothy Griffin
Exec. VP of Marketing & Distribution

Mr. Philip C. Haan
Exec. VP of International, Alliances & Information Technology

Good luck! - Stuart

Answer 5

I am a corporate travel agent and have frequent contact with NW.

Lately it seems they have done alot of outsourcing.

Its easier to go through their corporate headqurters as an angry consumer than to deal with any "customer service" agent.

You should be able to find their corporate contact info on their official webpage. Good luck!

Answer 6

I worked at the airport counter for 31 years...and believe me it will do you no good to go out there and refuse to move...because the agent will be unable to do anything and just go home eventually leaving you there by yourself....public contact employees for airlines have little power over their customer service policies...we just enforce the rules...period..there's nobody for us to take your problem to.

Answer 7

If the airport is withing driving distance go to their counter, and refuse to leave unless they make this right. Take all your documents with you, just in case

Answer 8

could b a problem

Answer 9

email them