Which Flagship Lounge is opening 'early next year' (2019)?
Dec 6, 2018, 9:40 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: RDU
Posts: 2,265
Which Flagship Lounge is opening 'early next year' (2019)?
In the series of infographics American is publishing to celebrate 5 years post-merger, they posted one this week on premium service upgrades. In it, it mentions that a new FL will open early next year. Given that FT has reported that both PHL and DFW are delayed, and I haven't seen any progress at LHR, what are they referring to? Is the LHR plan just to rebrand the First Class Lounge as an FL and just make minor (non-construction) changes?
Dec 7, 2018, 8:54 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: UA 1K and PP, AA PPro (3MM, former CK), Marriott Ambassador and LTT, Uber One
Posts: 1,349
Dec 7, 2018, 9:03 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: RDU
Posts: 2,265
Dec 7, 2018, 11:01 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: Bonvoy Amb; AA EXP
Posts: 1,136
Dec 7, 2018, 2:41 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA EXP Plat, Mariott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 165
All of this for the most part is from memory so I may be wrong but this is the beat down since the merger. Please correct me if im wrong. Since 2013 there will be a net loss of 6 AC's with over 50% unrenovated. So that bully for them but they have only opened 3 new clubs. Seems to me as much as AA loves to promote its AC's they are cutting hard on their costs. They have only been investing in AC's where they really have to compete with other airlines. Granted at DFW C is not in need of an upgrade as is SFO and a few others, but it looks like where AA has a strong hold they are neglectful. Also it looks like internationally they are throwing in the towel with lounges other than SA which is strange. Im trying to make heads or tails from their planing but it seems like Delta is investing in their premuim product, look at all the investments for sky clubs, united and AA dont seem to be betting as much on them. Surprising. What do you think?
Status of ACs:
New (3):
IAH
LAX (5)
MCO
Updated (17):
BOS (High Gates)
CLT B (In Process)
ORD (All 3)
DFW A
LHR
LAX (4 and Eagles)
LGA
MIA (Both)
PHX (A7)
YYZ
EZE
GIG
GRU
Unchanged: (28)
ATL
AUS
BOS (Low Gates)
CLT C&D
DFW B,C
HNL
JFK (High Gates)
EWR
PHL (All 4)
STL
TPA
DCA Both
DEN
MEX
BNA
SNA
CDG
RDU
SCL
NRT
PIT
PHX (A19 and B gates)
Lost: (9)
DFW D
BDL
GSO
JFK (Low Gates which was renovated)
LGA (Terminal C)
CCS
SJU
BOS (High Gates will be closing)
BUF
Status of ACs:
New (3):
IAH
LAX (5)
MCO
Updated (17):
BOS (High Gates)
CLT B (In Process)
ORD (All 3)
DFW A
LHR
LAX (4 and Eagles)
LGA
MIA (Both)
PHX (A7)
YYZ
EZE
GIG
GRU
Unchanged: (28)
ATL
AUS
BOS (Low Gates)
CLT C&D
DFW B,C
HNL
JFK (High Gates)
EWR
PHL (All 4)
STL
TPA
DCA Both
DEN
MEX
BNA
SNA
CDG
RDU
SCL
NRT
PIT
PHX (A19 and B gates)
Lost: (9)
DFW D
BDL
GSO
JFK (Low Gates which was renovated)
LGA (Terminal C)
CCS
SJU
BOS (High Gates will be closing)
BUF
Last edited by Pasqualle7; Dec 8, 2018 at 3:56 pm
Dec 7, 2018, 8:41 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: UA 1K and PP, AA PPro (3MM, former CK), Marriott Ambassador and LTT, Uber One
Posts: 1,349
No seriously, such an important hub should offer all of the bells and whistles.
Dec 7, 2018, 8:44 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: UA 1K and PP, AA PPro (3MM, former CK), Marriott Ambassador and LTT, Uber One
Posts: 1,349
All of this for the most part is from memory so I may be wrong but this is the beat down since the merger. Please correct me if im wrong. Since 2013 there will be a net loss of 5 AC's with over 50% unrenovated. So that bully for them but they have only opened 3 new clubs. Seems to me as much as AA loves to promote its AC's they are cutting hard on their costs. They have only been investing in AC's where they really have to compete with other airlines.
...
Unchanged: (28)
PIT
Lost: (8)
DFW D
...
Unchanged: (28)
PIT
Lost: (8)
DFW D
Dec 8, 2018, 7:01 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: TPA, finally
Programs: AA EXP/US CP, United 1K (1MM) , Marriott Plat, Avis Plus
Posts: 303
PIT is a complete refresh. Its a big open room. If there was one club that needed some real TLC, this is it. I have been impressed with all the new lounges so far. Be interesting what they do to CLT C/D.
Dec 8, 2018, 11:22 am
#11
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,090
That would be nice. The last I heard was neared to Q3 which would be somewhat of an embarrassment given the time it has already taken. But, then again, construction delays inside airports are a well known phenomena.
Dec 8, 2018, 12:54 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: CoUniHound 1K 1MM, AA EXP 2MM, DL Plat, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,625
AUS removed the putting green and the back privacy cubes and replaced them with chairs, so technically that counts as a 'renovation'. 
The AUS AC is a perfect example of how far the airline has fallen. It used to be a great club staffed by great people. Now the club is crowded and feels very rundown. And while the staff is still great, you can see in their expressions and manner how beat down they are by the constant delays, the disappointed customers, the crowding, their inability to do much when things go wrong, the everything that AA has become. It's very sad.
The AUS AC is a perfect example of how far the airline has fallen. It used to be a great club staffed by great people. Now the club is crowded and feels very rundown. And while the staff is still great, you can see in their expressions and manner how beat down they are by the constant delays, the disappointed customers, the crowding, their inability to do much when things go wrong, the everything that AA has become. It's very sad.
Dec 8, 2018, 3:53 pm
#13
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA EXP Plat, Mariott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 165
Was unsure about PIT honestly, and with DFW D will an AC open back up or just a FL? I was under the impression that the FL would take the entire space, but I could be wrong.
Dec 8, 2018, 5:39 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,090
AUS removed the putting green and the back privacy cubes and replaced them with chairs, so technically that counts as a 'renovation'.
The AUS AC is a perfect example of how far the airline has fallen. It used to be a great club staffed by great people. Now the club is crowded and feels very rundown. And while the staff is still great, you can see in their expressions and manner how beat down they are by the constant delays, the disappointed customers, the crowding, their inability to do much when things go wrong, the everything that AA has become. It's very sad.
The AUS AC is a perfect example of how far the airline has fallen. It used to be a great club staffed by great people. Now the club is crowded and feels very rundown. And while the staff is still great, you can see in their expressions and manner how beat down they are by the constant delays, the disappointed customers, the crowding, their inability to do much when things go wrong, the everything that AA has become. It's very sad.
Dec 8, 2018, 6:55 pm
#15
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: UA 1K and PP, AA PPro (3MM, former CK), Marriott Ambassador and LTT, Uber One
Posts: 1,349
Completely agree...on the few occasions I’ve been in that lounge, there have been NO seats at all.