nwa - What are they like to fly?

[carlFO]

Hi all,

Flying with nwa next Sat and just wondered if anyone has any info or experiences of them.

Flying out
LGW - MSP DC-10
MSP - MCO B753

And returning
MCO - DTW A320
DTW - LGW A333

I presume the Airbus flights will be much more pleasant than the others?

Thankx for any info.

[AlphaWhiskyRomeo]

Hi all,
Flying with nwa next Sat and just wondered if anyone has any info or experiences of them.
Flying out
LGW - MSP DC-10
MSP - MCO B753
And returning
MCO - DTW A320
DTW - LGW A333
I presume the Airbus flights will be much more pleasant than the others?
Thankx for any info.

Flew on their A333 out of AMS over the summer and they were pretty good in Y class. Not overly special - but just got the job done without fuss.
The DC-10s are almost finished, I believe, so the ride on that might not be as enjoyable, unless you are sitting near the front.

[BOEING RULES THE SKY]

I flew NWA, AMS-DTW-SEA and SEA-MEP-AMS, the 330 :yuk: from AMS-DTW flight was ok, bumpy ride and noisey, cabin crew where great, The DC10 :ok: flight from MEP-AMS was better then the 330 :yuk: , it was quieter then the 330 :yuk: , Plus i`ve flowen on their 757.300 DTW-SEA and the 319 SEA-MEP.
Their service was great on all the Flights, i would fly with them again.:ok:

[limey lad]

I think that you will be flying LGW-MSP on the last day of DC10 operation to/from Europe for NWA - so a little bit of history. Enjoy the sounds of the engines spooling up for take-off and the overall ambiance of this grand old lady. The DC10 is pretty comfortable - seating in coach is 2-5-2 except for the last couple of rows where it is 2-4-2. The DC10 seat 26F and 247Y passengers. I have spent many hours flying across the Atlantic in the DC10 and it has to be one of my favorite aircraft to fly in. Try to get a window seat on the right hand side so you don't get the sun blinding you. The routings normally go over Greenland, so good views can be had on a clear day.

The 757-300 is a long, long tube that seats 24F and 200Y passengers. I would try to avoid a seat way in the back for two reasons. Firstly, any turbulence experienced is accentuated at the back - think basic physics of arms and moments here. The flight attendants don't like working the back of these aircraft for that very reason. Secondly, if you are at the back, it will take ages to get off the aircraft - 224 passengers, one aisle and one jetway equals a good ten minutes before you struggle off the aircraft. Also, the 757is narrower than the A320, so seat width seems a little cramped - not just NWA, but all carriers.

The A320 seats 12F and 138Y and is as comfortable as any I have flown.

The A330-300 seats 34F and 264Y. They like all modern aircraft with super critical wings tend to ride turbulence worse than aircraft like the DC10, especially towards the rear. The seats and seat pitch are a decent average but the entertainment system is very, very good. (On the DC10 it is pretty basic - but just enjoy the ride - domestically in the USA, there is no entertainement offered on the narrowbody fleet except to/from Alaska and Hawaii.)

Food-wise, pretty normal fayre internationally whereas on domestic segments there is no food served in coach anymore except for some snacks and/or sandwiches for purchase - again fairly typical of US carriers now. If you want to eat on the MSP-MCO segment, I suggest purchasing food at MSP - there are several quite good restaurants there that will sell you bagged meals to take onboard the aircraft. One place I would recomemnd is a local Italian restaurant in the Twin Cities that has a restaurant immediately to your right as you come out of customs - you can't miss it. Connections are VERY easy in both MSP and DTW. The DTW terminal is amazing. If you have time, take a walk across to the B and C terminals through the tunnel - its a weird experience with music and lighting. Enjoy your trip!!!

[TCX69]

limey lad, thank you very much for the information, that has been very useful and interesting! My seats on the DC-10 are 27JH which I believe are just behind the wing and I hope I can still get a view. Seated in the rear cabin of the 753 - 41AB, so that may be a bit cramped if I can't change it on the day. I have about 3 1/2 hours before my connection at MSP, is there anywhere I can go to spot? Or is it not allowed there?

Got pretty naff seats coming home, but was all that was available. Can these be changed on the day do U know? A320 - 13BE, A333 - 37CD! :uhoh: Hoping to get a window seat home though! Again got over 2 hours at DTW so is there anywhere there to spot do U know?

Once again thanks for your info. Only ever flew to SFB on MYT so this will be a different change!

[AlphaWhiskyRomeo]

limey lad, thank you very much for the information, that has been very useful and interesting! My seats on the DC-10 are 27JH which I believe are just behind the wing and I hope I can still get a view. Seated in the rear cabin of the 753 - 41AB, so that may be a bit cramped if I can't change it on the day. I have about 3 1/2 hours before my connection at MSP, is there anywhere I can go to spot? Or is it not allowed there?

Got pretty naff seats coming home, but was all that was available. Can these be changed on the day do U know? A320 - 13BE, A333 - 37CD! :uhoh: Hoping to get a window seat home though! Again got over 2 hours at DTW so is there anywhere there to spot do U know?

Once again thanks for your info. Only ever flew to SFB on MYT so this will be a different change!


I changed mine online in the States the day before I returned from the USA on NWA and checked in at the same time - it saved me going into a massive queue at SEA just after the security things kicked off in the summer.

[possel]

I flew with NW a few times in the 90s. My over-riding memory is that they were always full or even overbooked. If you are not in a hurry you could make a profit by volunteering (quickly!) to go on a later flight.

Once I was at Seattle and wanted to get home quickly so turned down the option of free vouchers or whatever and a return (to AMS) via Vancouver. Then our own flight was delayed four hours...

[limey lad]

Hi TCX - look at the NWA website www.nwa.com - should be able to change seats via the website. If not, when you check in at MCO using the e-ticket machine, it will ask you if you would prefer other seats.....looks like you have center seats on MCO-DTW, which makes me think the flight is crammed full. DTW-LGW - your seats are together - may well be able to get better seats together via the website or when you check in at MCO....ask for help with this if you need.

MSP - look at the airport map in the World Traveller magazine - you will arrive at gates g3-g8 for customs. When you come out of customs, you can wander the concourses at will. Couple of aircraft hanging from the ceilings down around G14-20 - I forget which gate areas they are. There is a walkway from down by G24 across to the A, B and C concourses....A and B concourses is where you will see all the Pinnacle CRJs and what is left of Mesaba's fleet - perhaps an RJ85 or two and Saab 340s. A tram service runs up/down A/B/C concourse - at junction of C and D concourse there is an observation deck which gives good overviews and also faces the Minnesota ANG and Air Force Reserve ramps and their C130s. E concourse is where you will find American /United/Air Canada/US Air/Delta/Continental. (Sun Country, Midwest and Air Tran operate from a totally separate terminal well away from the main terminal). Lots of good restaurants in the area between the E and F concourses.

DTW - wide open spaces to observe the ramp from all gate areas. Go across to the B/C concourses - Delta / Continental plus NWA commuter flights.

Don't waste your time going out of the airside areas in either MSP or DTW - will take a while getting back through security and nothing worth doing or seeing anyway. Look at a very useful website for MSP - http://mspupdate.com/ Have a good trip!!!

[WHBM]

Also, the 757 is narrower than the A320, so seat width seems a little cramped - not just NWA, but all carriers.
The A320 series are 6" wider across the cabin than Boeings are, normally translated into 1" per seat extra width.

However Northwest, possibly uniquely, have chosen to put the same seats in their A320s as in their 757s. Therefore their A320s have a 6" wider aisle but no more seat width. A triumph of engineering standardisation over all other considerations, I suppose :(