Chicago-bound! Should I chance flying NW?

Hey everyone-

I have to go to Chicago for a training session in early August. I really want to fly on NW because I can catch a few DC-9's and this may be my last opportunity before they start heading out of the fleet. However, I've read that they've had a lot of crew shortages lately with flights being cancelled left and right. I have enough flexibility to fly on the weekends before and after the training, so I think I can swing an NW ticket, but I can still book DL for a similar price & more certainty that I'll get there in decent time.

So what do y'all think?

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Originally Posted by kc2aqg

Hey everyone-

I have to go to Chicago for a training session in early August. I really want to fly on NW because I can catch a few DC-9's and this may be my last opportunity before they start heading out of the fleet. However, I've read that they've had a lot of crew shortages lately with flights being cancelled left and right. I have enough flexibility to fly on the weekends before and after the training, so I think I can swing an NW ticket, but I can still book DL for a similar price & more certainty that I'll get there in decent time.

So what do y'all think?

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I'd say if you can, book NW on the way back and DL going over if the price is right. That way if you're stranded, you can take your time getting back if NW cxl's flights. Your training would be finished, right?

I would save the trouble but now hold my face and smack me in the mouth I think I would reccomend wn to Chicago.

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Originally Posted by hiss srq

I would save the trouble but now hold my face and smack me in the mouth I think I would reccomend wn to Chicago.

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I thought ISP is way out of the way?

Unless he does live close to ISP.

Why not B6 into ORD out of JFK?

Alex

I am stiffly reccomending against B6 unless it is to SRQ lately and even than CO out of EWR is what I am useing if not my own airline.

In actuality, very few NW flights have been canceled. I think it was quoted (don't quote me on this) as like 4% or something.

If you would like to get on a DC-9 do it, but don't take the last flight of the day. The earlier flights don't get canceled usually.

I've been wanting to do a DC-9 run for sometime now, especially on the 32 series. I'd try for NW just to fly a classic while they are still around.

For the record, ISP is almost an hour away from me while JFK is 20 minutes in no traffic. I thought about trying to catch B6, as I've also wanted to ride an E-190, but I figured that they'll be around for a while and the DC-9 won't.

I think I will take NW then. It seems like this cancellation problem really isn't much of a problem and I REALLY want to ride on the DC-9, both -30 and -50, and I can do that with my planned itinerary. Thanks for the input everyone!

Just to update everyone, I booked two DC-9 flights on NW: JFK-DTW (DC93) and DTW-ORD (DC95). I wanted to book at least one DC-9 return leg as well, but there were no seats available, so I chose to come back on B6's E190, hitting another bird I haven't been on yet. This should be a great trip!

I may be heading to Chicago in September and I'm looking to fly similarly unique aircraft/airlines that I haven't flown before. I'm considering heading out east and flying ISP-MDW on Southwest, and returning on a Northwest DC-9.

early in the month hould be no problem,the problems came in late june,when the crews starting timing out due to wx delays etc.,etc. they are running a lean ship over there.

Well, as I should have expected, the strong thunderstorms in the area have cancelled the inbound DC-9 into JFK last night and thus my outbound flight this morning. On the phone (at 3 AM) to rebook and see if I can get a different DC-9 flight, but I'm not hopeful. Grr! :evil:

hey, what time are you passing through DTW? What time were you supposed to be passing through DTW? I will be there now until about 3:00 when my flight leaves for NY.

Hey NWAFan, sorry I missed you. I got rerouted via MSP instead because the earliest I could get into Chicago was via DTW was 7:30 PM, this way I was in at 3:30. I did manage to get on a DC93 though, so I am at least happy about that!