Originally Posted by phillyd2
What is US management thinking? hmm, how about maybe "we are losing money at these clubs?"
It is probable that on a per club or per passenger served basis, these clubs may have been more expensive, but that it the wrong factor to examine. When a decision is made to purchase a membership, one generally does not purchase solely for a single club, rather it is the network that is the deciding factor. As US loses the critical mass required to retain a valid network, its club membership rolls will collapse. With its a la carte pricing US can not claim that it has a network of affiliated clubs.
Now each passenger may value a certain club disproportionately. For me, that is the LAX club. Although I am based @ DCA, I would gladly give up that club, even as much as I like it, to keep LAX. The reason is simple, when I fly back on the redeyes, I would rather have a few minutes of sanity in the club that being forced to wait in the T1 madhouse.
What happens now?
With LAX closing, my incentive to fly US to LAX is nonexistent. As many mentioned, the First Class catering is a joke (the only time that I have ever been sick on a plane in 3M+ miles was my last US transcon after eating the dinner box contents), the planes are a mess and now no club. If I drop my frequent trips to LA, it will be nearly impossible for me to re-qualify as a US1 (after 7 years as a US1).
I will drop US altogether rather than waste my time on this visionless carrier. Instead, I will use my UA 1K or CO Plat status to fly to LAX on UA, CO or NW (which still have real catering in First, better maintained interiors, and oh yeah, clubs at LAX).
I sincerely doubt that US has even looked beyond the direct operating costs to determine the fallout from their decision. The complete lack of demonstrated respect that they have for the club members - for the majority this isn't free - by only giving one week notice is incredible. Thankfully, I am leaving for LAX tomorrow and I will be able to say goodbye and thank you to my friends there.
I can say, that it is probably "the last straw" for me, and that US lost 2 US1s with this stupid decision.
CWPFLY