Northwest Airlines Reviews

Pros

Travel benefits, health benefits, ability to make a part-time job pay as a full-time job, ability to work in my hometown, ability to work around my schedule, able to work as a union employee, ability to work domestic or international flights.

Cons

Management--some of the worst in the industry. Good 'ole boy management rotating between all airlines. Inability to see the problems that might bite you in the ass. Inability to see the forest for the trees(can't go hunting for dollars when you are on the ground looking for pennies). Headquarted in the "frozen trundra".

Advice to Senior Management

Get the hell out --so someone else could give it a try

Pros

Fast paced, exciting and ever changing industry. Whether your skillset be in maintenance, call centers, pilot, IT, customer service or managment, NW/DL has the position for you.

Cons

Working with the handful of co-workers who cannot see the forrest through the trees. That's likely to be the case in most companies though. Because an airline is a lot more than just a service provider for the travelling public, there are a lot of up's and down's that go along with it. When prospective employees submit their resume', they should write down what it is they seek to gain from the airline and keep it for future reference. In most cases, those who complain the most about the airline would likely see they have gotten everything they'd originally sought after, and more.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep communication lines open, continue engaging your employees and produce results rapidly.

Pros

Working at the airport is always a fun job. Meeting new people and learning about aviation customer service is interesting. You do get discounts on flights, which depending on how much time you have available to fly is a perk. The trade system with other employees is also good when you want someone to finish your shift or start it.

Cons

The initial starting pay. For the amount of work and responsibility that goes into this job, I personally believe it's a joke. And while you do get discounts on flights, they are not as good as they SHOULD BE. Sometimes you find yourself paying the same as passengers. From what I've heard from the senior agents, who have been there 20-25 years, they are not pleased with how many pay cuts have been issued, and have no idea where they will end up in the whole NW DL merger.

Advice to Senior Management

Increase the starting pay and work on better flight benefits. Like...how about...really flying FOR FREE.

Pros

In my department, there is constantly a lot going on. I am constantly challenged with new technical problems. Information Services is fast-paced like a small company, challenges me personally and professionally. The people I work with enjoy the work, the industry and being close to the action. My favorite pasttime is vacationing, My wife and I enjoy taking the kids to new places and old places - Florida, New York City, Mexico, Europe, Japan and many other places. It is fun.

Cons

The company is either in feast or famine mode. It's either making very profitable or losing money like you wouldn't believe. This has led to a some layoffs, one bankruptcy, and many occasions where I wondered if I would have a job in six months. I left the company and returned after seven years of working elsewhere. I missed the culture, the industry, and the flight benefits. There are quite a few who have left and have returned. How many companies can claim that?

Advice to Senior Management

Continue to be open and honest with us and continue to respect us for who we are.

Pros

Travel Benefits. I traveled the world in the 2 years that I was there... many times in first class! Working for an airline allows you to see and maintain friends across the globe. I was able to travel home to see family whenever I wanted free of charge. I met some great people at NWA. The company was heading into chapter 11 right around the time I was hired so there was a huge influx of new hires so making friends in an unfamiliar city was a breeze. I gained valuable experience during my time at NWA and I'm thankful for it.

Cons

The executive view towards management and labor relations is the the textbook definition of what not to do. Granted, the labor unions demands and expectations have been (in my opinion) unrealistic and unproductive. Senior leaders need to reflect on how to better manage perception and manage expectations. Also, NWA recruits from top 10 colleges and universities but has no system to develop talent and retain their best employees. Basically your left to fend for yourself play politics and maneuver. In closing everyone I worked with was professional and really nice. I am thankful for NWA because they gave me a decent springboard to start my career and is the reason I am happily employed at another company.

O yeah its freezing in Minneapolis.

Advice to Senior Management

Work on communication!

Pros

now we are the worlds largest airline and that gives us a great variation to non revenue traveling also we might get a raise
the coworkers are very nice i L A and that makes work so much more fun. teamwork is mostly very good. the company just announced that we are going to grow so i guess our jobs are stable as of right now but as we know that might change any minute

Cons

our managers are not on our side when the customers complain and the pay is not verry good i qualify for food stamps
as of lately we get a lot of short calls and that puts a strain on my life.

Advice to Senior Management

be more personal when it comes to time off needed.

Pros

The opportunity to travel around the world at little to no cost, until you arrive. That has always been the only motivating factor in working for Northwest Airlines. The airline has lied to its employees over and over and mistreated them for years and has now reached the pinnacle of mistreatment in the lies that have been told. "The best people for the best teams" was how this merger began, but that is not how it's ending. It's all political in who's butt you are willing to kiss. It used to be the "hometown airline" but since it isn't any longer it's hard to find anything positive. The state of MN should have put up a bigger fight against the merger.

Cons

Treatment and growth potential; the fact that it is no longer the "hometown" airline in MSP is horrible. NWA should have been the surviving airline, not Delta and it could have been. NWA is the airline with cash available - Delta has none - NWA easily could have taken over Delta, but the CEO wanted the easy way out. The employees and the state of MN have been lied to about how many jobs and opportunities would remain in MSP and now any jobs that make it through the cuts are still going to have to relocate to ATL, and most with a cut in pay, it's a crime.

Advice to Senior Management

Speechless

Pros

I first started working for the company because of increase in salary, great benefits and the ability to travel as much as I can afford and want. Being able to travel to places that I normally would not be able to visit and since my siblings are far away, this has given me the capability of seeing them more often.

Cons

Having to take many pay cuts and benefits has been hard to take. So far I've managed but at times, it has been very discouraging.

Advice to Senior Management

Remember those who work for you. I've experienced some rough treatment in previous positions by hostile and narrow minded management. Be grateful to those who work so hard for less money and benefits.

Pros

travel benefits, great people to work with, exciting places to visit,

Cons

low pay, high stress, away from home and family two weeks a month, difficulties dealing with upset passengers, dehydration, lack of sleep,

Advice to Senior Management

Pay your employees!!!!

Pros

Northwest Airlines has been around for a long time and there is a lot of history in the company. The industry is constantly growing and changing which can be exciting as well. Also, no one can complain about getting first class round trip to london:)

Cons

Work/Life balance is not respected. Management in some departments differ greatly than other departments and there are a lot of disgruntled employees.

Advice to Senior Management

A better work/life balance would be nice. It would be great if we were rewarded with more flexibility as well. The job is 8-5 and there are no if's and's or but's. If you have a funeral/wedding/family gathering that might put you in 1 hour late you can't make it up an you MUST waste a 4HR PTO on it.