September 2, 1998
A message to the customers of Northwest Airlines

How soon can a strike happen?
The pilot's union must wait at least 30 days, no sooner than 12:01 (EDT) on August 29th, before calling a strike.

I'm flying the next 30 days, should I change my flight plans?
No. Northwest Airlines will continue flying throughout the entire 30-day "cooling off" period.

Can you guarantee that my flight won't be canceled by a strike?
If you have travel plans in the next 30 days, we can guarantee that a strike will not disrupt your travel as the pilots are prohibited from striking before August 29th. If your travel plans fall beyond the next 30 days, we cannot make that guarantee as the decision to call a strike rests with the leadership of the pilots' union. Should such an action occur, Northwest will make every effort to minimize any interruption in service that will hurt our customers and the communities we serve.

Will my ticket be refunded if my flight is canceled because of strike?
Should a strike occur, we will make every effort to accommodate you on another carrier at no additional charge to you. If we are unable to do so, we will fully refund your purchase.

If a strike is imminent, will Northwest re-book me on another carrier?
We will make every effort to accommodate our customers as best we can. If we can't re-book you on another carrier, or for a later date acceptable to you, your purchase will be fully refunded.

Can I cancel my non-refundable ticket now and get my money back?
Until the pilots' union actually initiates a job action, our non-refundable ticket restrictions remain in force.

What about passengers such as unaccompanied minors or people with medical needs? Should they still book on Northwest or is it wiser to book on another airline?
Northwest will continue to operate during the next 30 days and as a result people with special needs are welcome as always. However, because of the uncertainty surrounding a possible strike by our pilots sometime after 12:01 a.m. (EDT) on August 29th, we will not accept reservations for unaccompanied minors and others with special needs traveling within the United States after August 28th or internationally after August 26th.

What if I'm flying on Mesaba, Express I or KLM? Will these flights be affected by a Northwest pilot strike?
Northwest will coordinate its planning with its various partners and release detailed information on their level of operations should the Northwest pilots' union elect to strike. (press release continued)