American Airlines just announced a grab ‘n go lounge space in Charlotte by gate A1 dubbed “Provisions by Admirals Club.” It opens in ‘late summer’.
It’s a small area with coffee, refrigerators of snacks for takeaway, and reservations assistance. It’s furnished with “high-top standing tables and minimal furniture to create an environment that supports quick visits and high-volume traffic.” Access is the same as for a standard Admiral’s Club.
It seems similar in concept to United’s Club Fly minimarts in Denver and Houston, though United offers barista made coffee but lacks reservations assistance and American’s offering is the reverse.
United Airlines Club Fly Denver
American promotes this as a ‘first of its kind’ effort but it really isn’t. They offered grab ‘n go lounge space with reservations assistance in the DFW A concourse while the lounge there was closed for renovations. They offered a similar experience at New York LaGuardia, as well. It’s just that those were temporary.
More lounge space of any kind in Charlotte is certainly better. DFW airport has 5 clubs, Charlotte – American’s second-largest – has only two. It can be tough to find a seat at peak times. The smaller club is in 2017 modern hospital design, and though the main club was closed for months last year it’s still in the legacy US Airways aesthetic.
It is a bit odd that this spot will offer grab ‘n go, while the main Charlotte lounge sells grab ‘n go from a vending machine (so spend lounge time in a larger lounge, and stop by gate A1 for your to go items).
The image included with the reliease shows refrigerators but the release doesn’t discuss anything about what sort of food and snacks will be provided. It’s just generically “sandwiches, salads, snacks and fresh fruit” and that this will include vegetarian options. That doesn’t make me hopeful about the quality.
Grab ‘n go can get expensive because passengers will take it as an excuse to load up their bags. Capital One’s lounges promote grab ‘n go and those sections are near the front of lounges – but I’ve observed real cutbacks in the number of items available, the space for grab ‘n go was cut back with the Las Vegas lounge opening and most recently New York JFK created a set up where you ask staff for the items you want.
Capital One Lounge Las Vegas
Labor is costly but there’s likely still net savings in food cost. Capital One’s grab ‘n go is high quality, and especially at New York JFK where you can get legit freshly baked bagels with pastrami, lox and even smoked whitefish.
Ultimately it’s good that American Airlines is joining this trend. I’d rather see them investing in more lounges and lounge renovations. But additional options are certainly better than not. Hopefully those refrigerators will be stocked with a couple bottles of water I can grab – which makes me realize that this could be valuable, since I’m disappointed it won’t be open when I pass through in a few days.
Grab and go should be a perfect opportunity to offer the same quality of special diet meals as they do of other meals, since all the meals are prepackaged. Let’s see if that actually happens.
If they are concerned about folk’s greed, then, please, first, look in the mirror, and, second, set rules and limits, so problem solved, before the inevitable supply shortages occur. This is a preventable issue. Because, otherwise, people paid for access, and they’re gonna take/use within whatever parameters you/they set. Clear expectations go a long way…
And if all else fails, at least CLT has those rocking chairs…
Going to be a big black hole financially unless finds a way to limit how much can be taken.
If there was a grab and go at DCA, I’d happily forego the Admirals Club, theoretically reducing demand on the actual clubs. As you have said with respect to hotels providing food to elites, “food is cheap”. I anticipate someone has rough order of magnitude numbers, but I would expect that the cost of some people devouring large amounts of grab and go is still far less than building and maintaining additional lounge space.
Time for status “segmentation” in the Admirals Club so the grab and go section is accessible only for CKs, EPs & PPs, otherwise the coolers will be emptied by Generation Z “influencers” or whatever…
My how the concept of a lounge has declined from something ( somewhat) exclusive to the equivalent of a drive thru 7-11.
@jfhscott — But, but… you’d miss out on that fake ‘Acucraft Luxury Blaze’ fireplace inside (DCA)!
@Captain Freedom — Ah, yes, it is the ‘youths’ that are the problem. Please do continue the faux generational/culture war, fight among yourselves, and continue to ignore the underlying ‘class’ war.
You can also bring your own snacks. It’s called free stuff.
If the American Airlines Grab ‘n Go Lounge aims to discourage passengers from taking excessive amounts of food, they might consider installing funhouse carnival mirrors behind the food stations. These mirrors would distort reflections, leading passengers to perceive themselves as heavier and thereby prompting them to eat less.
These mirrors can create a variety of appearances, making passengers look thin, tall, overweight, short, and countless other variations. Funhouse mirrors utilize curved or tilted surfaces, which alter the angle at which reflected light enters our eyes. Our brains interpret these reflections as though the light is coming directly from the original source, resulting in a distorted image of the object or person.
6 waters, 3 snack bars, a coke zero….
Oooohhh.
I can pay $1000s in credit card fees and be allowed in a convenience store for a factory packed sandwich?
Yay. I’ve arrived.
@Mark — Live a little. Go with a regular Coke (or three!)
I wish there was a like option for me to smile to the post from Ken. I always feel guilty take more than one item.