Originally Posted by
jags86
I actually don’t care if kids are in the lounge or not. I’ve never experienced unruly children in an airport lounge. My problem isn’t kid related, it’s my full fare paying butt not having a seat because someone’s not full fare paying guests are in them.
I would think an even better policy would be to define peak times and allow no guests whatsoever during those time periods. But that puts no money in AMEX’s pocket.
But if someone is bringing their kids in for free it is takking up seats. I remember back when Delta allowede either 2 guests or a spouse/partner and yunlimited nyumber of children in under either 18 or 21 with a individual membership or am ex swipe how that would be abused. I remember one time this boy scout troup must have been flying for a jamboree or some event and the scoutmaster was able to guest himself and another adult and five or six teen boys in. Another time a guy guested in his wife and four college age kids, two guys and two girls got guested in with him and the kids were obviously two couples and were drinking upstairs so either the skyclub attendant didn't do an age check and they were over 21 or they were drinking illegally.
I don't have an issue with kids getting guested in but they should have to pay if they are taking up a seat.
Originally Posted by
zxrst
All I am saying is that the policy won't thin the crowd given Delta Reserve holders will join us pretty soon, especially at LAS and CLT where there are no sky clubs.
If Amex really cares about reducing crowd, there could be a reservation system with confirmed ticket information. The other way is to limit the time in the lounge and have a credit card "swipe in and swipe out" system (1st hour is free, 2nd hour charged $20, third hour is another $20 etc)
Seeing Platinum cardholders get in the skyclub I think it's only fair reserve card holders get the same benefit and I don't see it being that big of an issue except at clubs like LAS and CLT where there is no skyclub and an Am Ex located conveniently next to the Delta gates.
Problem with limiting the club to an hour or two is the times I am in a club for over an hour is one of the reasons I like having access to a skyclub or other lounge. There's been times I wanted to get on an earlier flight and only standby was available and I would get to the airport early if I was on the standby list not to clear and will go to the club and wait for my flight. I've had flights delayed five or six hours before in airports where there is really no place to go and they also don't want you toeave the airport if it's a MX issue they may be able to get fixed earlier or able to do an equipement or crew swap on. Hasn't applied to the Am Ex lounge but has to priority pass and Sky clubs for me is a long layover. Last time I came back from Lima there was an equipment issue that was easy to fix after boarding but once it was fixed it was past the curfew time to leave LIM and they wouldn't clear the plane and we were stuck on the ground all night and missed my connection home and the first flight they could get me home on out of ATL was eight hours later. Don't think it would have been fair if I had to pay for club use since that wasn't my fault and I thought about leaving the airport but carried on and didn't want to deal with having all my stuff with me and I also bought some Pisco at Duty Free and wouldn't have been allowed to reclear security without checking it.