Don’t come crying

There are two kinds of travelers who will be affected by the possible flight attendants strike at Northwest Airlines, which could get underway any day now, if reports are to be believed.

The first group are people who live near one of Northwest’s fortress hubs and had no choice but to book a ticket with the bankrupt airline. They have my sympathy. (And, in a moment, I’ll offer a few tips on how to survive the strike, if it happens.)

The second — and far larger — group is the air travelers who had a choice in airline and decided to go with Northwest. To them, I say: Don’t come crying to your travel agent, the media or your mama.

Northwest has been in bankruptcy for about a year. This isn’t its first strike (although it may be its last, to hear some of the pundits talk about it). People who had options but bought a Northwest ticket anyway are getting what they paid for: A seat on a deeply troubled airline that could potentially stop flying soon.

If it’s any consolation, I don’t think the attendants will strike.

But if they do, here’s my advice:

Have a plan ‘B’. Make a contingency plan for getting to your destination. If you’re a business traveler and you’re on an expense account, buy a refundable ticket on another airline — just in case. If you’re a leisure traveler, you might want to think about buying another ticket. You can always change your reservation with a fee and reuse the ticket.

Book away. Even if it means driving to a faraway alternate airport. Even if it means spending more money. Your hard-earned vacation or important business trip is at stake here.

Know your rights. More to the point, you don’t have any rights. Check out Northwest’s contract of carriage, and it’s obvious that you’re out of luck during a strike, since it is classified as an event that is beyond the airline’s control.

Never, ever pay in cash. If your flight is disrupted by a strike, then you might have a chance of recovering your ticket through a credit card dispute. (After all, your flight didn’t go anywhere, and the merchant failed to provide you with a product it promised). If you paid in cash, you’re outta luck.

Use a travel agent. A competent agent knows other tricks for getting around a strike. This is one of those times when I would consider buying any airline ticket through a travel agent. The extra booking fee is money well spent during a time of uncertainty.

To anyone who has a Northwest ticket during the next few days — whether you’re in Group One or Group Two — I wish you the best of luck.

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

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