Northwest Airlines recently announced a wireless service that allows customers to request e-mail updates about the status of their flights.
The e-mails can be sent to alphanumeric pagers, wireless phones, hand-held Internet devices or desktop computers. NWA customers can request the updates from one to four hours before their planes are scheduled to depart.
The service also allows customers to check their reservations at www.wireless.nwa.com.
In addition, Sprint PCS will offer its customers the service with a link under its travel menu. Here, customers enter their confirmation number and last name to view their scheduled flight number, date, time, cabin class and seat assignments.
The announcement marks the latest in a series of Web-related moves by NWA, including an alliance with United Airlines, Continental Airlines, U.S. Airways Group and America West to build a Web site to compete with Priceline.com.
NWA, Minneapolis, partly attributed the slight profit it earned in 1999 to Internet ticket sales topping $700 million, which was $200 million more than the year before.
