Originally Posted by
Eastbay1K
Its the American Way!
You may or may not recall that once upon a time, the domestic USA bars, with the exception of AS and I recall NW, were pay for all booze bars, and if you were special (i.e., international premium cabin), you'd get some drink chits.
Alaska has Alaska employees serving you, with tip acceptance prohibited. Yay
Not only that… on a domestic itinerary even in a premium cabin and with top elite status (unless it was elite status with a foreign partner), you don’t get in unless you pay an annual fee. That’s why I said that to me it seems really quite offensive that you pay what might be a very expensive ticket, then you pay for lounge access, and then after that you’re expected to pay someone to pour you a drink. It’s petty, and I think Alaska has gotten it right and still does. Alaska was one of the few that never blocked lounge access to paid First Class passengers - it was included.
My Admiral’s club visits were almost entirely when I was BA Gold or Silver, and even to get the “chits” you mentioned, I’d often have to say in a nice way at the entrance, “Does British Airways still invite me for a drink when I’m in your lounges?” At which point they would give me one or possibly two. Everywhere else I just went in the lounge, poured myself a drink, and got on with things.
American’s Flagship Lounges had self-pour, but I haven’t been to one in awhile, and now they are using them as business/sapphire lounges whereas before they were strictly First/Emerald.