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News and notes from around the interweb:
- Earn unlimited credit towards Air France KLM Flying Blue elite status by donating to charity
- Airline crew found drugs on board, reported it, and were sent to a Dominican Republic jail
- Delta executive derides Sky Club members who stay too long, “We’re not WeWork”
- “Air Marshal Pulls Gun on Angry Passengers To Protect The Flight Deck”
- Sydney start-up plans to save airlines $61b a year (Australian Financial Review)
Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation is backing a Sydney start-up that makes sharkskin stickers that reduce wind drag and could save the aviation industry tens of billions of dollars a year in fuel costs.
The start-up, MicroTau, has developed a way to print microscopic, three-dimensional “riblets” onto huge, lightweight stickers that can be applied to the skin of an aeroplane to reduce wind drag
It’s remarkable in hindsight to see how much more crowded, and therefore worse, airline lounges have become. Back in the 2000s the typical UA/AA lounge didn’t have great food or service. But it was a calm, more relaxing place than the terminal. Today, there are usually lines to get into lounges, it can be hard to find a seat, it’s loud, and people seem to be desperate to get their hands on still-poor food.
Today, I’ve found it’s best to just find a gate that’s not in use, look out the window, and enjoy some peace that way. No need to be elbow to elbow with everyone in the lounge.
Agree with Roy. Most lounges have become so packed that I don’t enjoy using them. If everyone has lounge access, and an expectation that lounge access equals being treated like royalty, then no reason to go out of my way to go in one
I have access to all kinds of airport lounges. But they’re not very appealing unless there’s unlimited shrimp cocktails and champagne. Why wedge yourself into an overcrowded lounge in the first place? Stand in line to enter? You gotta be outta your mind. I find an empty gate and make a little nest to drink my coffee and read my book or play on my computer. Unless there’s a TV blathering away somewhere, that’s far more enjoyable than most airport lounges. The exceptions are AirFrance at CDG and Virgin’s Heathrow Clubhouse, of course.
The “Air Marshall” title is misleading as it makes it seem like a US Air Marshall pulled their gun on a plane. Then you click the video you see it isn’t a US Air Marshall at all it is some security person in some foreign country somewhere.
I love how Delta execs are indignant about people using their lounges like they are doing us a favor by allowing people, who have paid to do so, to use their crap lounges. If they are going to do a three hour rule it should be three hours before boarding time not takeoff time. Really a four hour window would be more realistic. I don’t rush to the airport to use a Delta lounge. The people who camp out in lounges for excessive amounts of time are probably the exact same people who buy a single cup of coffee at starbucks and sit there for hours on end on their laptop taking up space, or try to turn a hotel lobby into their work area.
DL is showing it’s true colors, was only a mater of time. I personally never found them to be any better than AA or UA, but they had good PR . Now, not so much. Old planes make up 50% of their international fleet verses UA or AA, SkyClubs a joke verses Flagship/Admirals and Polaris, just as many seats on newer planes and in some cases more on older plans (A320/A319) than AA or UA. Face it, they have good marketing but higher fares, a VERY padded schedule, older planes and so-so service.
I honestly don’t think it’s paid lounge members, DL one customers, etc. It’s likely AMEX Platinum and DL Reserve cardholders who get the cards for lounge access, and feel like they need to get as much “free” stuff as they can, and so try to get to the airport hours early to go to lounges. Those are the people depleting buffets, causing massive lines, and turning the Sky Clubs into chicken coops.
I agree with DNYC to a point…I just don’t think there are as many Reserve Cards vs. Amex Plats in the lounge. The Plat is a more “well-rounded” card than than the Reserve. You have to really be “into” Delta to want the Reserve card. On the other hand, the Plat gives you the same access and a lot of other non-Delta benefits.
It’s not scientific, but almost everyone I’ve talked to in the Sky Clubs are in there on the Plat. I have said this before…I think Delta could solve the problem (and preserve the Amex relationship) by charging Plats a fee for the Sky Club in airports that have a Centurion. Similarly, charge Reserve card holders a fee for entering the Centurion.
I really think that could work…
LOL. As I was looking at these comments about “I’m fine at the gate”, I went back and looked at all of the Twitter posts about “Passengers Rioting at Gate Staff” and the Spirit customers getting into fights airside.
So, I guess there IS some benefit to airport lounges – I haven’t seen any passengers attacking lounge staff recently. Or large objects flying around.
I have lots of cards with lots of access, and then for international are usually flying in J anyway. I have to say I don’t believe I have ever seen a gate area that was as enticing as even the most mediocre lounge. Even UA’s and AA’s, which are usually near the bottom in quality. And when a lounge is crowded, usually all the restaurants and gate areas are, too, in my experience. And those don’t have electrical plugs.
Flying is stressful. Waiting in the lounge and getting a snack while working helps make it less so. I think I’m fine with a three hour rule – so long as it does not affect me on a long connection or an IRROPs. In fact, I’d be happy if they just linked lounge access to flying in F or J, like the European airlines generally do.
We here at Delta think you should consider yourself lucky we allow you on our planes or in our exclusive clubs.We don’t like admitting you peons in generally but realize it helps you to feel important which helps to fatten our bottom line with increased sales revenue .Ultimately the vast majority of you are bottom feeders except you decent full fare paying customers but understand we must subsidize you discount welfare cheap AF folks too.You know who you are
Effective immediately 15 min lounge access for most delta bottom feeders (one bite of food max)For our full fare guests 30 min limit with 2 allowable bites)
Failure to follow the new guidelines and you will be fined with a permanent club membership ban.That should end you endless Delta free loaders in the lounge who fly us
Props to Delta for being honest about how they really feel about customers who have paid – one way or the other – to enter Sky Clubs. They really took a page from the Marriott We-Hate-Engaged-Members playbook.
now days, it’s unpredictable how long departure procedures will take so some pax arrive early and maybe were fortunate and passed through relatively quickly so they have time to relax in the lounge until they hear their flight is cancelled or delayed for 5 hours at that point they line up at the lounge check in for assistance, meanwhile the line grows as new pax arrive. I’m not flying anywhere till a month after this madness ceases.
Why are people getting to the airport >3 hours before flights is the much bigger question. Likely they’re most are arriving 3.5-4 hours beforehand to go through TSA.
I guess they like working in a shared workspace vs. at home/office or in their hotel room (which is what sold people on WeWork), but if it’s as crowded as it gets, during COVID? No thanks, agree w/the idea of empty gates.