Flying Buccaneer

If anyone from AA checks this board, I am sure they will conclude that an agreement with US at TPA would be much easier and cost a small fraction of an additional club or creating a C/D sterile area at LGA.

andrzej

That's the spirit.....

Just e-mail the AC CS or if you want to write a letter, address it to:

4333 Amon Carter Blvd.
MD 5307
Fort Worth, TX 76155


and I agree- TPA is one of the best.... ^

krug

The AS Club in SEA is superb, with plenty of room, full size windows, supremely helpful staff and a full free bar.

As andrzej and MIKESILV are fellow users of TPA, might it be more economically sensible for you to purchase a Priority Pass for your own use, than asking a hard pressed AA to fork out for a lounge of its own, or pay for reciprocal rights, at a relatively small station?

You can always hang out in the Marriott if you have a lengthy delay.

elitetraveler

Are you sure - I was guessing the costs would be something like this:

100 AC members per day x $20 per AC member (if airlines sell day passes to general consumers at a retail of $50, perhaps this is a good assumption for what they would charge each other) = $2,000 per day x 365 days = $730,000 per year.

Even if it were somewhat less to pay US in TPA to allow AC members, LGA is a very high yield market where AA is trying to expand (they have added numerous AE routes, including trying to compete for share on the DCA and BOS routes). The facilities in C could use some type of capital investment or the entire C/D area could be redeveloped (again bigger - but again this would seem to be much more strategic than TPA)

CloudCoder

FWIW in the late 1990's AA pax could use US lounges anywhere. I've personally used 'em at CLT, IND and BWI. I think this arrangement ended -not- after 9/11 but instead it ended whenever US got in bed with UA.

MIKESILV

I do intend to write in since the club would be great for any delays ( once I reach the airport) though I have pretty lucky in that regard, plus living 10 minutes drive from TIA allows me to play it pretty close.

Am an AC member since 2002 which is one of the reasons I find MIA more tolerable.
Had fogotten about the US club since its been been about 6 years since I last flew them.
(Good ole days US Shuttle $29 1 way to MIA and every 4 segments = free system-wide R/T )

mike

millionmiler

US and AA used to share FF mile programs also and their was rumors of a possible merger. As the rumors faded so did the the FF exchange etc.

Flying Buccaneer

Yes, I am sure. AA would certainly be able to negotiate a better rate than $20/pax, especially if it is going to get 100 or more AC members a day visiting the US Club at TPA. Remember, the $50 day passes are good for an entire day at multiple airports. These pax would use the US Club for 30-60 minutes max. They would not be asking for reservation/travel assistance from the staff, because it would not be available for AA. Given that the pax would be doing little more than occupying space in the club (which has plenty of space to occupy), using the facilities, consuming some of the free refreshments, and/or purchasing drinks at the bar, almost all of whatever US charges AA for per-passenger use would go directly to its bottom line.

andrzej

I'm not sure if the writing campaign will help but it's worth a try....


btw, how is the club at TPA? Never had the chance to go inside.

andrzej

Priority Pass would not work very well at TPA. They use the Delta club and it's in a different terminal. Each terminal has it's own security so you need a boarding pass to get through. Besides, who wants to go through security twice just to enjoy a club setting for 30 minutes?

Same with the Marriott - If I'm already in the terminal, sitting at the Chillis bar or restaurant, and find out we're delayed for 1 hour, it's not worth it to leave airside just to take the train, do a long walk to the hotel bar/restaurant. What's the difference?

You have not been to TPA? have you....

BLI-Flyer

1) The AS club in SEA is at the other end of the terminal, at the beginning of the D concourse, AA is in the middle of the A concourse, not very convenient to each other. The DL club would be a better candidate since it's just a few gates down, but I would think not likely to happen.

2) The AS club gets packed during busy times, especially since AS seems to give out free passes to people who book vacation packages, and I'm not sure they want to increase the load by adding AAdmiral's Club members.

elitetraveler

I see you are UA 1K -- if you are RCC don't you get reciprocal access to US either through a direct agreement or *A. I also think some of the other posts are right - I remember using US clubs in CLT and LGA because of the since ended network AC/US Club agreement. Also if you join US Club dont you get access to RCCs?

BLI-Flyer

* Superb? Yes.

* Plenty of room? Varies. Sometimes yes, sometimes packed and difficult to find a seat.

* Full size windows that look out on the runway? Yes, great views, especially upstairs.

* Supremely helpful staff? Yes, although sometimes they are limited in what they can do in terms of changing tickets, but the AS service center is only a few steps away down the D concourse.

* Full free bar? Almost. Mostly free beer and wine (microbrews cost extra), free vodka drinks, other mixed drinks cost extra.

* Not mentioned? Free Internet (wired and wireless), better snacks than the old AA club, open decent hours (5 a.m. until 10 p.m. IFIRC)

* Lower cost day passes ($25/day) and lower membership fee than the AAdmiral's Club. (Starting 10/1, $275/year + $100 first year initiation fee.) Also gets you into most CO, NW, and DL clubs.

Flying Buccaneer

It's one of the best domestic clubs I have seen anywhere, mainly because I have never seen it crowded. It seems very spacious, but that's probably because of all of the windows that give a great view. Also, the staff is very courteous and helpful. You can tell that it was designed when US had a much larger presence at TPA. Maybe the US/HP merger brings a few more people in before the flights to LAS and PHX, but it's still highly under-utilized.

Flying Buccaneer

My RCC membership gets me into the US Club only if I am flying US that day. Conversely, the basic US Club membership does not get one into the RCC, under any circumstances. US Club membership has a few options (click here), and the one that does include admission to the RCC requires same-day travel on UA and costs about $500/year.