Flagship Lounges and Flagship First Dining to start reopening September 2021
Oct 24, 2021, 5:58 pm
#661
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: So Cal
Programs: AA Platinum
Posts: 2,700
I took a look back at some of my prior reviews of FFD and they're in line with my memories -- some great apps (lobster cocktail, oysters with roe, clams in broth), some mediocre to poor mains (the bolognese, the ribeye), and some decent but not amazing mains (the lamb shank). See here: JFK (Aug 2018), LAX (Sep 2018), LAX (Dec 2018), JFK (Nov 2019). Plenty to complain about if I were paying for the food at a restaurant, but plenty to enjoy if there's no downside to trying a bunch of dishes, pecking at the ones you don't like, and ordering repeats of the ones you do... washing it all down with great booze... and then zombie-walking over to a lie-flat seat on an airplane to pass out for a few hours.
Oct 24, 2021, 6:38 pm
#662
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: STL/ORD/MCI/SAN
Programs: AA CK MM, AC SE100K, BA Gold, UA 1K, DL Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,989
The comparison really shouldn’t be your local food trucks. Most of us here presumably know what a nice restaurant meal (or ?food truck meal) looks like. AA FFD is apples and oranges. It’s an airport meal. You need to compare it to a regular AC, other standard lounges, plus then for the best comparison, to things like OWE Lounge F meals (BA, CK, QR, etc.) and then maybe the UA Polaris selections.
AA FFD is an oasis compared to everything else in the airport. That’s really all that matters.
OK, let’s step back for a second…
The comparison really shouldn’t be your local food trucks. Most of us here presumably know what a nice restaurant meal (or ?food truck meal) looks like. AA FFD is apples and oranges. It’s an airport meal. You need to compare it to a regular AC, other standard lounges, plus then for the best comparison, to things like OWE Lounge F meals (BA, CK, QR, etc.) and then maybe the UA Polaris selections.
AA FFD is an oasis compared to everything else in the airport. That’s really all that matters.
The comparison really shouldn’t be your local food trucks. Most of us here presumably know what a nice restaurant meal (or ?food truck meal) looks like. AA FFD is apples and oranges. It’s an airport meal. You need to compare it to a regular AC, other standard lounges, plus then for the best comparison, to things like OWE Lounge F meals (BA, CK, QR, etc.) and then maybe the UA Polaris selections.
AA FFD is an oasis compared to everything else in the airport. That’s really all that matters.
Last edited by JY1024; Nov 1, 2021 at 11:18 am Reason: Merged consecutive posts
Oct 24, 2021, 8:09 pm
#663
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: AA, UA, Marriott
Posts: 1,107
Good points that expecting a top restaurant quality meal in a lounge is setting up for disappointment. Maybe that’s the fault of the airline marketing or travel blogs. For all the hype that is QF LAX for example I thought the food was very average.
If you are transiting of course the F lounge is a great option, very nice to eat/drink/hang out/shower all in one place. Or if you are originating and have ample opportunity to eat at any restaurant in your hometown, might as well try it and eat for free. But if you are an infrequent visitor, always more satisfying to eat in the city than the lounge…
If you are transiting of course the F lounge is a great option, very nice to eat/drink/hang out/shower all in one place. Or if you are originating and have ample opportunity to eat at any restaurant in your hometown, might as well try it and eat for free. But if you are an infrequent visitor, always more satisfying to eat in the city than the lounge…
Oct 24, 2021, 9:41 pm
#665
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: So Cal
Programs: AA Platinum
Posts: 2,700
Good points that expecting a top restaurant quality meal in a lounge is setting up for disappointment. Maybe that’s the fault of the airline marketing or travel blogs. For all the hype that is QF LAX for example I thought the food was very average.
If you are transiting of course the F lounge is a great option, very nice to eat/drink/hang out/shower all in one place. Or if you are originating and have ample opportunity to eat at any restaurant in your hometown, might as well try it and eat for free. But if you are an infrequent visitor, always more satisfying to eat in the city than the lounge…
If you are transiting of course the F lounge is a great option, very nice to eat/drink/hang out/shower all in one place. Or if you are originating and have ample opportunity to eat at any restaurant in your hometown, might as well try it and eat for free. But if you are an infrequent visitor, always more satisfying to eat in the city than the lounge…
OK, let’s step back for a second…
The comparison really shouldn’t be your local food trucks. Most of us here presumably know what a nice restaurant meal (or ?food truck meal) looks like. AA FFD is apples and oranges. It’s an airport meal. You need to compare it to a regular AC, other standard lounges, plus then for the best comparison, to things like OWE Lounge F meals (BA, CK, QR, etc.) and then maybe the UA Polaris selections.
AA FFD is an oasis compared to everything else in the airport. That’s really all that matters.
The comparison really shouldn’t be your local food trucks. Most of us here presumably know what a nice restaurant meal (or ?food truck meal) looks like. AA FFD is apples and oranges. It’s an airport meal. You need to compare it to a regular AC, other standard lounges, plus then for the best comparison, to things like OWE Lounge F meals (BA, CK, QR, etc.) and then maybe the UA Polaris selections.
AA FFD is an oasis compared to everything else in the airport. That’s really all that matters.
Oct 24, 2021, 10:24 pm
#666
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: PHX
Programs: AAexp, AC75k, HertzPC, NationalEE, Accor/MariottP, Hilton/HyattG
Posts: 3,614
friends... it's all about crushing multiple bottles of LPGS and getting your $300 worth. LOL 
.
I plan to get value out of my LAX-MIA-JFK-MIA-LAX FFD extravaganza by drinking. Eat some food just so I can keep drinking... I sound like I have a problem ugh
. I plan to get value out of my LAX-MIA-JFK-MIA-LAX FFD extravaganza by drinking. Eat some food just so I can keep drinking... I sound like I have a problem ugh
Oct 25, 2021, 7:28 am
#668
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,314
The best aspect is to avoid the on board meal, eat earlier then 9m and sleep on the plane easier for me.
Free booze doesn’t do it for me, my age has caught up and drinking a lot is in the past. LPGC or Krug MV is lovely but not not worth the food disappointment. Key is to have the right expectations.
I still think an eggplant parm hero from Parm or pastrami from Katz’s is more reliably delicious than FFD.
Free booze doesn’t do it for me, my age has caught up and drinking a lot is in the past. LPGC or Krug MV is lovely but not not worth the food disappointment. Key is to have the right expectations.
I still think an eggplant parm hero from Parm or pastrami from Katz’s is more reliably delicious than FFD.
Oct 25, 2021, 7:43 am
#669
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: DFW
Posts: 131
Especially when you pay for Flagship First or Business and the majority of Flagship lounges are CLOSED. Taking my 3rd Flagship flight since June in a few weeks and it's really starting to get under my skin that I'm not getting what I paid for.
Oct 25, 2021, 8:05 am
#670
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,631
That said, I hope today's FL beverage selection will be to my liking!
Oct 25, 2021, 8:16 am
#671
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: PHX
Programs: AAexp, AC75k, HertzPC, NationalEE, Accor/MariottP, Hilton/HyattG
Posts: 3,614
Please report back! With the best bottles disappearing at FFD, I wouldn't be surprised if they restocked the FL bubbly with baby duck...
Oct 25, 2021, 9:36 am
#672
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Denver
Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,070
Was in LAX last week for an international flight and was still closed, they're still using the FL for AC overflow. I will be passing through again today and will ask, still don't understand why LAX wouldn't be opened with their premium demand.
Oct 25, 2021, 10:17 am
#673
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,631
I doubt AA has lost more than a few passengers by having the FL closed. What are your choices, having caviar service in the B6 lounge? Or perhaps some Taittinger Comtes de Champagne in the now-OW partner AS lounge?
Oct 25, 2021, 12:24 pm
#674
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
Best thing in the LAX lounge is the supply of pumpkin blondies......
Oct 25, 2021, 3:13 pm
#675
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Denver
Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,070
Asked the agents at LAX, basically, it's not on the current calendar. She explained that they had their schedules setup for November already, and the FL was not accounted for in that month. So at best December, but I'm guessing even that is not going to happen. But hey, the cheese cube bowl was a-flowing.