DLdweeb

Thank you for the update.

Could you detail what those investments are? The only thing I know of going on now are the outdoor lounges at JFK and ATL.

So the SEA club will no longer have the complimentary nice local beer selection?

HongKonger

[1] Well-known brands... Gordon's is well known to be crap.

[2] Did you get a lot of customer feedback asking for Gordon's? Or asking for the elimination of local craft beers? Or for the elimination of Bailey's?

[3] If that is your goal then offer quality products.

[4] I enter SCs on international BE tickets so I don't pay for membership. But if I had paid the increased fee for this year based on the SC experience to which I was accustomed, and the value of what I purchased was suddenly and unilaterally reduced in this manner, I would be obtaining a refund.

tl;dr: LMAO

us2

The problem with what DL is doing here is that the DL hubs have some decent alternative options for those who wish to pay for a drink, which is essentially what this downgrading is going to force those of us who use the clubs and like to have a good quality cocktail while doing so to do. Now, if the cost of a decent drink is a bit less than other establishments, then, fine, I guess I'll wind up paying and use the club.

But, if the option is to use the club and pay the same as the bars outside the clubs, it's going to cost regardless and I might as well go elsewhere and spend my money there. There are some great options in both ATL and DTW that also involve the ability to get a decent meal as well. The same is true for most of the other hubs.

The only bright spot in this for me is that I don't pay for the Club, so my outrage over this is probably a bit less than it would be if I had actually forked over money for a membership. If I had just bought a membership, I'd be furious over this.

So, the question going forward for me is what will be offered at the pay bar and at what price? If I can get a Glenlivet or something of similar quality for a reasonable price per drink, the SC still has some value. If, on the other hand, the cost is the same as outside the club, there's no reason not to patronize other establishments.

And I'm really going to miss the Tanqueray. It's my drink of choice during the warm weather months. I'll try the Gordon's, but I don't think it will be the same. As for picking Scoresby for Scotch, it's an affront. I typically drink single malts, but can live with something like Dewar's or Johnnie Walker Red if it's mixed with soda. But I will not befoul my palate with something as sub-par as Scoresby.

jamesteroh

Are you serious???????? Customer feedback???????? If you review your offerings based on customer feedback, then the feedback you are getting must be a lot different than that on flyertalk!!!!!

I don't know ANYONE that wants their dues raised by $50 a year and then have Sky vodka replaced with Gordons!!!!!

And what is going on with Bailey's? Will that still be offered or is another "enchancment" going to be to stop offering that (I love coffee and baileys in the morning).

planeluvr

It's cheap and offensive.

SFTNYC

My country club charges for drinks but the ambiance is quite pleasant and that's part of the reason I pay dues... If I have to pay for decent drinks and the DL lounges are crowded/noisy/unpleasant it doesn't really make sense to pay for access does it?

The other thing to consider is that this is DL's long-haul premium cabin departure lounge... is BA offering miller lite in the Galleries Club and asking guests to pay for Heineken? (they're not)...

Carpboy823

This is also an insult to the partner lounges (think AS Board Room at LAX) who will now be subjected to overcrowding from Delta passengers who just want a decent drink and can get in with SC membership. Sky"Team", my [behind].

kaaria

Another example of dump and run from DL reps here on FT.

xliioper

AS also uses Gordon's for the well drinks -- http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...l#post20736687

PacificTwo

So am I to assume that Sweetwater is now $weetwater?

us2

Emphasis added. Any bets that the bolded part there was the primary consideration in this?

timmy83

No. This was to add a variety of options. The masses were clamoring for Gordon's gin.

And whatever - it's their job to make money, but they're turning their clubs into such a s---hole that it will hopefully backfire on them.

slipbeer

Just scored a Tanqueray and Tonic at the SEA club - there still seems to be a half a bottle left if anyone is interested.

I did have a Gordon's and Tonic in Singapore at the Sky Lounge yesterday - purely for research purposes and it was 4:30 in the morning so my judgement was a little clouded.

To be fair, the tonic in the Sky Lounge was heinous on it's own and admittedly I don't drink G&T's at 4:30 AM on a regular basis but this T&T is pretty tasty and the other was not.

Let's all hope it's the tonic water that made the difference.

jamesteroh

Even if that's the case, you may as well go to the Boardroom instead at LAX seeing Delta now has a full service bar and is serving the same liquor.

It's been a long time since I have had alcohol at the BR at LAX, but I thought they used Smirnorff vodka (which is by Gordons but a lot better quality). Seeing the Skyclub eliminated sky vodka and has a full service bar now, the only advantage the SC has is it's in T5 instead of T6. The boardroom has a lot better food selection, iced coffee and self service coke fountains and you don't have to tip the bartenders at the BR like the SC expects you to.

I decided to google "Gordons vodka" reviews and most were negative sites. One site even said Popov was a step above Gordon's. Gordon's is definitely a cheaper vodka than Sky which I know is why the SC is switching, it is certainly isn't because of "customer feedback"

MS02113

Scoresby? Well-known? I've never once heard of it. And apparently Diageo doesn't think enough of Gordon's to include it among the other vodka brands on the corporate Web site. Surely Smirnoff can't cost much more. No tequila, Baileys, or non-bourbon whisk(e)y? (Never mind that Jack Daniel's technically isn't bourbon.)

As for beer, I wouldn't mind seeing Budweiser and Miller Lite offered system-wide so long as the local options (Sweetwater, Sam Adams, etc.) continue to be available. I won't be holding my breath, though.

Great to see Delta stooping to US Airways' level. Keep climbing, indeed.

What exactly is the value in membership again? The Wi-Fi's so slow it's practically unusable, and many airports offer complimentary Wi-Fi in the concourse anyway. Work cubicles are quickly disappearing. The snack areas are messy and under-stocked. The new complimentary spirits are mostly bottom shelf. The Luxury Bar charges big-city prices (on top of club entrance fees), but doesn't offer the ambiance or cocktail-mixing ability to match. Quiet, comfortable, semi-private seating areas are giving way to open seas of armchairs lined up side-by-side. Overcrowding is sometimes unbearable.

I receive free Sky Club membership as a Diamond, but had paid the annual fee before that Medallion level was introduced. While I'd happily pay again (and pay more) for a quality lounge product, I struggle to find value in today's Sky Club after the past few years' downgrades.

Disappointing developments, to say the least.