ARCHIVE: New Flagship Dining (Nov 2015) and Future Premium Lounge for DFW "D"
 

From Scott McCartney's WSJ column on 3/6/2014:

"DFW is considering building a lounge for first-class passengers of international airlines with just one flight a day to Dallas."

That would undoubtedly be welcomed by those currently not served by airline lounges nor having AMEX Platinum or Centurion or Priority Pass, or members of The Club at ___".

A true F lounge would be welcomed by all the above and just about anyone else who could gain admittance.

As you can see from the link in my signature, I'm pursuing a rumor that DFW will soon have a temporary Flagship lounge to be followed by a new, permanent Flagship lounge.

Not a Premium Lounge, as they'd had as a recommendation from their consultant? Or would the premium lounge be a Flagship Lounge?

Trust me-- I've been hopelessly confused by that difference for many weeks as I've tried to confirm this rumor. There were these docs:
https://www.dfwairport.com/cs/groups.../p2_249259.pdf
and
https://www.dfwairport.com/cs/groups.../p2_253041.pdf

And all sorts 'a stuff like that-- w/o AA involved (I think, I never really read them!)

BUT, at the end of the day, I think Ive concluded it will be a FL in term D AC. With a temp version (very limited) in the closed smoking area.

I think. :)

:D

It'll be a welcome addition. IMO, it was shortsighted to not plan one to begin with.

Not sure where AA will put a new Flagship lounge at DFW. My guess is they could separate off part of Term D lounge or add an extension. Then more like LAX and JFK with card access to that section - rather than a completely separate location like the one at ORD.

Could be the AmEx lounges are making AA reconsider putting in more FLs. I know that when I am on a OW international flight - I go to the AmEx lounge rather than the AC or even the QF contract lounge.

My experience is limited to the DFW Amex lounge but I would choose it over any flagship lounge in the current system or for that matter almost any lounge in the world. One day I started in HKG in the CX first lounge, transited in the JAL first lounge in NRT and finished in the Amex lounge in DFW and it was clearly the best of the three and I love the CX lounge in Hkg ( granted it was breakfast when I was there).

Really? My experience with Centurion at DFW is that it can get very crowded, children running around, and the food at least once reminded me more of Sodexo that anything else. A serious premium lounge used by AA, BA, QF, QR would likely be nice.

First part, yes, agree. Second part: "for that matter almost any lounge in the world"-- no, most definitely not.

In all the FL (or FC) lounges i've been to it is open bar. in the Amex Cent lounges you must go to the bar and order. But as a "trade off:)", the staff periodically passes through the lounge taking orders.
PS: right this minute I'm in the JAL FC lounge in NRT--they have Remy XO, I've never been in a lounge with that offering.^

I'm curious as to why there's a thought that a new premium lounge or FL is an either/or proposition. Perhaps AA is sensing increased competition in the premium int'l market out of DFW with the addition of the new premium lounge and feels that a FL is needed to keep up.

Last year iirc, a significant money was paid to a consultant firm to study the issue. An RFP was let.

I'm guessing the fact three one world airlines are paying good money to operate their own lounges has got some serious thought focused on this issue - finally.

My question is why does AA care if AA premium customers decide to use the Centurion lounge? If anything the implementation of the Centurian lounge would lower the need of a FL as the benefits of OAs using a premium lounge to entice defection of AA customers lessens.

Hell their premium passenger use of Centurian saves them money and does not increase the risk of defection.