FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,722
Ok I will take the bait. It is not the families that are crowding PP lounges in the US. If anything it would be the 1000s of new PP members - Amex, Chase, whatever. Plus for AS lounges you have all the VX flyers cramming in. Families typically travel a couple times a year, and many airports (like my home airport) don't even have PP lounges that are accessible for the vast majority of flights due to terminal security limitations.
I suspect the real reason Chase is making the change is for the same as airlines, hotels that shave elite benefits - cut costs by cutting corners. And if done right there will be little fallout. Sure, it will also eliminate the few abusers who bring dozens of friends into the lounge, but that's a rare occurrence.
Given the lack of a footprint here - I can easily live with 2 PP guests per visit. Would probably be more incensed if PP actually had a decent US network.