JDiver

Now Serving: American Airlines Brings Back Signature Menu Items to Select Admirals Club Lounges
Thursday, August 06, 2020, 9:00 AM

• Complimentary food items will be available starting Aug. 12
• Food-for-sale items will be available starting Aug. 19
• All food offerings will follow American’s strict commitment to guest and team member safety

Link to AA news story

American Airlines Bringing Back Hot Food To Admirals Club Lounges This Week

by Gary Leff on August 3, 2020 link

American Airlines has re-opened 15 Admirals Clubs at their hubs and they’re offering ‘service centers’ in 12 cities for club members to get assistance with reservations.

In re-opened clubs a full bar is offered where permitted by local regulation, and packaged snacks are offered. They’ve added plexiglass shields at reception and at service desks, and in some cases foot-operated door openers for restrooms. There are also hand sanitizer stations and floor decals to promote social distancing...

...American will be making an announcement later in the week on what to expect from its Admirals Club food product: additional food items, which lounges will see the ramp up, and how this will work. Clearly it won’t be communal vats, so some sort of pre-portioned and plated/packaged setup.

JonNYC shared as a ‘rumor’ that American Airlines lounges would re-introduce hot food this month.

enviroian

Thanks for the info. So other than a rumor from a former FT'er this is just good confirmation from what we already know.

teemuflyer

Funny thing about the "communal", i.e., buffet style self service. Apparently live and well at some European airline clubs.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

I'm assuming this will be somewhat similar to what the ACs were doing before they closed down. Instead of a buffet style items were pre-packaged. The difference now is that they won't be out on a table/tray for self serve. Also probably all on disposal platewear.

cmd320

They could just throw some Easy Mac boxes out there with a hot water dispenser and call it a day.

24.05.2004

I presume that JFK will still be handing out the "sad snack sack" -- and ONLY upon leaving the lounge 🙄

"Local restrictions" only apply in T8 at JFK. If you're looking for an adult beverage or three and maybe some actual food, the local restrictions don't apply in T4. Thanks DL!!

JDiver

Gsry Leff attributed his initial information to JonNYC and included his tweet about the nature of the food to be served. I merely included that.

Flying for Fun

Fly DL? Drinks are in a Delta Lounge.
Fly AA? Drinks are At Altitude.

Who will be the first to have both?

James

cmd320

I suppose one could always just get a SkyClub membership and fly AA. Though at JFK that would be a bit of a pain.

IADCAflyer

Others have posted regarding the service and amenities at the Clubs. If it wasn't for the 50% reduction in annual fee on the Executive card, I would be -very- hard pressed to justify another year of this. The agents and the club workers are doing their best, but if it comes down to a paper sack with a jalapeno bagel, apple cake and a blueberry muffin or a $3.25 croissaint at Dunkin, I might just have to settle for the crossaint.

TheDudeAbides

That wouldn't work anywhere unfortunately. A Sky Club membership only gains admittance to the lounge with a same day boarding pass on DL or one of its partners.

cmd320

Really? I thought actual members could access any time they wanted.

I access via Amex and know in that scenario one must actually have same day DL/partner ticket. I was under the impression that the full membership gave you access as long as you could get in the terminal. If not it seems to really defeat the purpose of actually being a member vs just getting an Amex Plat or Cent.

TheDudeAbides

Really. Same is true on AA unfortunately. Even with an AC membership, one must have a same day BP on AA or one of it's partner airlines to gain entry to the lounge.

cmd320

Interesting. That has to be new(er) on the AA side because I used to be an AC member and distinctly remember being able to use the AC anytime no matter who I was flying.

freeagent

Yes its a fairly new policy, I believe they started requiring same day AA boarding passes back in November.