I'm allegedly on VX732 in 1F tonight SFO-SEA.

There's a mechanical delay (late arrival of aircraft) -- delayed until at least 2230, supposed to depart 2000. I think this delay will be extended.

I arrived at 1730, intending to use the VS lounge for $40. During checkin, a checkin agent (junior/normal) said the ac was late. I asked about compensation, such as lounge access for F passengers being complimentary or discounted. She said she had not the authority, but when the overseer got in she would ask (overseer was getting vouchers..good sign!), and I should wait in the seating area.

I waited. I was told by Lani (the level 1 boss of checkin at SFO) that there was no possibility of discounted lounge access, but $10 meal voucher. "What about for first class?" "$10 meal voucher".

I mentioned being an Alaska frequent flyer on the SFO-SEA route, and that I was eagerly awaiting the VX product on that route, but that Alaska was in a much better position for delays -- there are so many daily Alaska flights that there is no way a late aircraft would cause a 3h delay in prime time.

The $10 meal voucher could not be applied toward clubhouse access, so I got some Ebisu prepackaged sushi for $10.28.

She also said there would be a $25 credit; this is for all classes of service for delays > 2h.

I said I wanted to do the clubhouse anyway, for $40, but I didn't realize I needed to pay at the VX counter, and thus left without the requisite docs. When I got to the lounge, the dragon guarding the empty lounge said "we do not take money here" and that I'd have to go back to VX. She also said there was no food -- at that point I decided to try priority pass airside.

(I broke 3 bones in my hand last night, and alcohol+vicodin is a bad idea, and I have EVDO for internet, so really only food was interesting to me)

Unfortunately, the open priority pass lounges are all in G or 1 (united RCC, delta, northwest (closed for the evening), or Continental), so I had to go out and in security to the united RCC, where I now sit. United RCC has pretty meager food offerings, but I can't really fault VX for this.

I got to see the recently privatized TSA equivalents berate old annoying eastern european woman for failing the "put your liquids in clear bags" thing -- she was herself obnoxious, but when he started picking up other pax items from the belt and using them as examples of acceptable vs hers, it became comical. Possibly again more amusing due to vicodin.

Since delay treatment for F and Y is the same, there is really very little reason for me to pay for F; if the load factor in Y is as low as it seems, a whole row of Y is better than an F seat.

In the future if delayed at SFO, knowing the quality of lounges, I'll just go to the USO and use my ID for access and donate $24 or $40 or so to feel less guilty about using it for non-official travel.