Coal From United States, joined Aug 2006, 883 posts, RR: 2 Posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 4609 times:
I find it ridiculous that you have to be a member of most airlines' lounges in the US even if you are at the top of their FF program. Why don't people just apply for FF programs from partner airlines outside the US and get free access with status?
When I fly UA (mostly UA express) economy I always get in to the RCC for free with my Star Gold card from SQ's PPS Club.
Especially for Star, for which it's so easy to become Silver or Gold, why don't people just use any other FF prog to get into UA's lounges, ditto for SkyTeam and oneworld?
Zrs70 From United States, joined Dec 2000, 2191 posts, RR: 7 Reply 2, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 4603 times:
Many people become members of the AC MLL instead of the RCC. Annual membership is less (for general members), and it gives full RCC access when on a same day ticket.
EXAAUADL From United States, joined Jun 2006, 3219 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 4580 times:
Most clubs arent worth the money anyways. The CR in ATL is nice but the amenities are sparse. Red Carprt Club in ORD on concourse B is poor too. European cluns might be worth joining
AWACSooner From United States, joined Jan 2008, 306 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 4457 times:
Hell, even the Admirals Clubs in DFW aren't anything major to write home about. The lounges themselves are nice, but the food and drink prices are insane!
Soxfan From United States, joined Mar 2008, 182 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 4342 times:
Do any US airports have nice lounges? I know that Virgin Atlantic has "clubhouses" in which Upper Class passengers can enjoy meals prior to their flight, are these clubhouses only in Europe/Asia or are they in the U.S. as well? I'm sure the lounges of US airlines are not up to the same level of quality or service, but I wonder if ANY are good.
JACK02116 From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2006, 81 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 4325 times:
BA lounges in JFK and BOS are great. Restaurants for pre flight dining although you have to travelling Club or First to dine before flying. Gold ard holders travelling in Y cant.
Coolfish1103 From United States, joined Feb 2008, 138 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 4285 times:
I personally would never pay for a use of the lounges. I find it ridiculous too as the tickets in the US are already quite expensive due to the labor cost in the US, and now we have to pay for extra costs to use the lounges even if we have status. In addition, some of the paid lounges have no free wifi, no warm food, and not even cold food!
Friends said all there are for food are crackers and chips... He did not pay for the lounges, for in my view it is totally unacceptable. I think most non-US airlines offer a better product any day if we travel internationally. However, if it's a domestic flight, we are stuck with the airlines in the US.
If I want internet, I wouldn't want to spend $25 on a day pass. I might as well pay T-Mobile for the free wifi and get a combo meal from a fast food chain store or have a light meal in the airport restaurant... it won't cost me $25 and the only difference would be "clean up after you finish" and "watch for your flight time closely."
UPPERDECKFAN From Spain, joined Jun 2007, 769 posts, RR: 1 Reply 10, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 4227 times:
Quoting Coolfish1103 (Reply 9): I personally would never pay for a use of the lounges. I find it ridiculous too as the tickets in the US are already quite expensive due to the labor cost in the US
IMO, it has more to do with US aviation market than labor costs, labor costs are much higher in Europe and nobody charges you for a lounge. It's as simple as having a F/C ticket (domestic or int'l) or being a top tier FF.
I think european policy can not be applied in the US market, can you imagine how much lounge area would AA have to offer at DFW or ORD to grant lounge access to all its domestic F pax and top tier FF's? or DL at ATL?
EXAAUADL From United States, joined Jun 2006, 3219 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 4173 times:
Quoting UPPERDECKFAN (Reply 10): I think european policy can not be applied in the US market, can you imagine how much lounge area would AA have to offer at DFW or ORD to grant lounge access to all its domestic F pax and top tier FF's? or DL at ATL?
Goaliemn From United States, joined Sep 2005, 377 posts, RR: 3 Reply 12, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 4127 times:
Quoting Coolfish1103 (Reply 9): f I want internet, I wouldn't want to spend $25 on a day pass. I might as well pay T-Mobile for the free wifi and get a combo meal from a fast food chain store or have a light meal in the airport restaurant... it won't cost me $25 and the only difference would be "clean up after you finish" and "watch for your flight time closely."
I travel 2-3 times a month. If I take the cost of the club, divide it by the number of uses I get, and each entrance costs me less than a combo meal, plus I get nicer seating, free booze, free wifi, and they're usually much quieter than the public areas out in the concourses.
BillReid From Netherlands, joined Jun 2006, 486 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 4076 times:
This is a bone to pick. As a Elite-Plus with skyeam I found out that in Europe an Elite plus member always gets lounge access when traveling. The food and amenities in AMS are fare superior o what the airlines deliver in the USA.
I questioned DL at ATL upon return because I would be willing to switch my allegiance to KL if it got me into the lounges for free. So DL explained, skyteam's policy is that any elite-plus member gets lounge access when traveling "International". As flights from AMS are 100% international due to the size of the country all elite-plus members always get access. As the USA is so large the airlines deny access because BOS-LAX is domestic, whereas AMS-BRU or AMS-FRA which are international flights at a stage length of 30 minutes is International.
What we need to understand is that from the airlines perspective USA customers are third world, and our airlines as a result are also third world.
I sent a letter to the VP of Marketing at DL 12 weeks ago and have not gotten an answer, not a peep. Courtesy would say as I took the time to mail them that they would at least send me a free drink coupon. As a Platinum for the last five years flying over 666,000 miles in that period I have not received my elite-plus package this year. I have requested it four times and they do have my address correct because I get tons of junk mail from them and I have checked it with them. Why would they ignore a pax in their highest tier?
The answer is that senior management at airlines such as Delta could careless about whether the Platinum members are happy or not, they also don't care if the staff are happy either. They care about only their personal gain.
I CHALLENGE ANY SENIOR EXECUTIVE AT DELTA (who might read this page) TO MSG ME AND PROVE THAT DELTA DOES CARE!! MAYBE THIS BLOG SHOULD BE PASSED AROUND THE HALLS OF DL.
Some people don't get it. Business is about making MONEY!
UPPERDECKFAN From Spain, joined Jun 2007, 769 posts, RR: 1 Reply 15, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 4056 times:
Quoting BillReid (Reply 14): So DL explained, skyteam's policy is that any elite-plus member gets lounge access when traveling "International".
If an AF Gold/Plat is flying let's say CDG-MRS he/she will get lounge access no matter the class (C or Y), so what they told you might be a DL policy but no way an overall SKYTEAM policy,
StarGoldLHR From Heard and McDonald Islands, joined Feb 2004, 1529 posts, RR: 3 Reply 16, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 4001 times:
I have a UA Star Gold Card.
My fiance has a BMI Star Gold Card.
When flying in the US she takes me in to the UA Lounge, as being a UA gold card holder I cannot enter !
How mad is that !
Thing is.. why would anyone pay for a UA lounge anyway... there's no free drinks, no newspaper, no internet... just some better seats and a quieter space than those outside.
US lounges arent worth it even when free when compared to the rest of the world.
So far in 2008 45 flights and Gold already. JFK, IAD, LGA, SIN, HKG, NRT, AKL, PPT, LAX still to book ! Home Airport LCY
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 22290 posts, RR: 64 Reply 17, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 3987 times:
If they didn't charge, the lounges would be overcrowded.
Besides, nowadays a significant number of people aren't paying for AA/NW/CO/DL lounges. An AmEx Platinum gets you into them with any same-day airline ticket on that airline, regardless of how cheap it was.
Aerofan From United States, joined Aug 2004, 1475 posts, RR: 2 Reply 19, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 3886 times:
BillReid
Why should they care or even respond to you? They have you exactly where they want you -addicted to miles. They know you will not be going anywhere. There's no need to respond to you!
DeltAirlines From United States, joined May 1999, 5935 posts, RR: 9 Reply 21, posted (3 months 2 weeks 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 3869 times:
Quoting Goaliemn (Reply 12): I travel 2-3 times a month. If I take the cost of the club, divide it by the number of uses I get, and each entrance costs me less than a combo meal, plus I get nicer seating, free booze, free wifi, and they're usually much quieter than the public areas out in the concourses.
That is why people pay for them.
That's my case too. I'm currently sitting in the CVG Crown Room at the end of a 4 hour layover and it was nice in that I got some snacks, some drinks and free wi-fi to get stuff done during this time.
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