You Can Dress 'Em Up But You Still Can't Take 'Em Out: I flew Northwest to DC, a direct flight for a change. For those of you who have missed previous rants, despite the fact that Detroit is a Northwest hub - meaning I could fly direct to just about anywhere from here - I have made a point of never flying Northwest after a number of bad experiences. It's not just me. Northwest is consistently rated among the worst airlines in just about any survey. I have flown multi-leg flights that were twice the duration of direct Northwest flights just to avoid them.

This time I had high hopes; they have a brand new terminal, built at a cost of an arm and a leg from everyone with one to spare, so it was time for me to test the waters again.

The results: better than before. Part of that is the terminal itself. It's efficient and well designed for the most part. Lots of shops and food and drink spots (versus the little carts in the hallways in the old terminal). Check-in was a little weird. E-ticket holders have to check their bag first outside, then get your e-ticket at a kiosk inside. Why not both at once, or at least in the same place?

Plane left on time, no real hassles at security. Not bad.

One thing they have not dealt with are the surly, ill-trained and unsavory employees they hire. Checking luggage required me to attempt to speak with a man who could not enunciate the simplest of words and got frustrated when I kept asking him to repeat himself. In the terminal I asked for directions to the men's room and was instructed to take an elevator two floors down. I did so, and found it closed for cleaning. I asked where the nearest one was and they pointed me in a direction and said, "Down that way...you'll find it." So I walked "down that way" and there was nothing but a dead end. So I ask someone else and they send me back up the elevator and to a spot around the corner from where I started. Good grief.

So Northwest looks all pretty and flashy now, but beneath the surface the prevailing attitude is still The Customer Is Always The Problem.