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Sky Club Price Increase and No More Single Visit Passes

Sky Club Price Increase and No More Single Visit Passes

Old Nov 16, 2018, 10:44 am
  #76  
 
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Originally Posted by vincentharris
Were that many people really buying $50 one day passes? I would have thought that accounted for less than 1% of total people entering the "club"?
Delta must think so... or this is a PR move to make a claim they are working on overcrowding.

BUT... one thing to consider look at the SkyClub right now. They are literally advertising the Reserve card and how you get 'free' access to the club. But no more single visit passes for random travelers!

Originally Posted by WWads

Well considering that I saw families with multiple kids, probably more than 1%, unless both parents had Amex cards.

If DL really wants a more exclusive experience, no children under 13.
What makes removing children under 13 more exclusive? My wife and I both have Amex. In fact I have multiple myself. We have 2 kids. My 3yr old is very well behaved and is content to sit and eat snacks and loves to watch planes. My access privileges are the same as yours so not sure why some have this notion that it is a kid free zone. I am in there because we want peace and quiet as much as the next person. Sure a baby can get upset but there are only a few ways to guarantee that at no point during your trip this won't be a problem for you. Fly Private. Or drive by yourself.

Originally Posted by apodo77
If I had to make a bet I would say the clubs will still be as crowded as they always have been in 2019.
I agree. What have they truly eliminated here? The random person who comes in and pays 59 dollars per visit? And I assume KLM/AF lounge members can now not get in? What percent is this truly? I would wager it's less than 1% or maybe even way lower.
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Old Nov 16, 2018, 11:13 am
  #77  
 
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Originally Posted by StayingHomeIsBetter
When I was traveling frequently to Chicago, I often saw the ORD club above the limit (and, yes, I did count).
That is basically any time at the ORD SC from open to close.
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Old Nov 16, 2018, 12:42 pm
  #78  
 
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Well, as advertised, Amex Platinum holders can still get a guest at $29. ATL B is such a disaster right now that we bolted after 15 minutes and went to F. B SC had no silverware or bowls out for the entire time we were there. This sure solved that crowding problem.

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Old Nov 16, 2018, 12:48 pm
  #79  
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Originally Posted by RumPatrol
Well, as advertised, Amex Platinum holders can still get a guest at $29. ATL B is such a disaster right now that we bolted after 15 minutes and went to F. B SC had no silverware or bowls out for the entire time we were there. This sure solved that crowding problem.
Well I'm also sure there are a whole pile of people travelling today. Business travelers headed home for Thanksgiving and leisure travelers headed to wherever for the same. And there is probably some correlation between the leisure travelers that can take the whole week off and those who somehow have SC access through whatever means.
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Old Nov 16, 2018, 7:30 pm
  #80  
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Originally Posted by RumPatrol
ATL B is such a disaster right now that we bolted after 15 minutes and went to F.

shhhhh! I want people to continue to think you need an intl BP to get to the F "international" terminal
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Old Nov 16, 2018, 10:30 pm
  #81  
 
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Originally Posted by gooselee
Well I'm also sure there are a whole pile of people travelling today. Business travelers headed home for Thanksgiving and leisure travelers headed to wherever for the same. And there is probably some correlation between the leisure travelers that can take the whole week off and those who somehow have SC access through whatever means.
Busy is one thing, B Club is almost always busy no matter the day or time of year, having no bowls to put the only hot food items offered for at least 15 minutes is another. Then again, B Club is also where Delta put out, no kidding, a boiled hot dog on a slice of plain white bread tray earlier this year.

The point still stands, absolutely nothing is going to change but Delta and Amex will get more money out of it. Good for them, no change for me.
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Old Nov 16, 2018, 11:11 pm
  #82  
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Originally Posted by RumPatrol


Busy is one thing, B Club is almost always busy no matter the day or time of year, having no bowls to put the only hot food items offered for at least 15 minutes is another. Then again, B Club is also where Delta put out, no kidding, a boiled hot dog on a slice of plain white bread tray earlier this year.

The point still stands, absolutely nothing is going to change but Delta and Amex will get more money out of it. Good for them, no change for me.
I happen to like hot dogs and white bread and Ill put my exclusive culinary experience up against anyone here.

It is a club that costs $600 per year. That is the price of a good dinner for two. This talk of exclusivity is silliness.
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Old Nov 16, 2018, 11:53 pm
  #83  
 
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Originally Posted by pbarnette


I happen to like hot dogs and white bread and Ill put my exclusive culinary experience up against anyone here.

It is a club that costs $600 per year. That is the price of a good dinner for two. This talk of exclusivity is silliness.
I agree. They should be rebranded The Delta Morrisons Cafeteria Club.

Delta has done a lot to improve the clubs from 15 years ago. However sales and operations are not in sync.
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Old Nov 17, 2018, 12:03 am
  #84  
 
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Originally Posted by StayingHomeIsBetter
No way. They formerly had "a sort of exclusiveness to the clubs." They tossed out that concept when the made the clubs into profit centers and intentionally went the "mass occupancy" route.

Just a recollection/opinion from someone who has been accessing DL clubs since about 1981.
And I remember flying in 1981 and having a row of seats to myself... in the days before the migrating homeless filled coach seats and spoiled the exclusivity of air travel.

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Old Nov 17, 2018, 12:16 am
  #85  
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Originally Posted by KeepDeltaMyDelta


I agree. They should be rebranded The Delta Morrisons Cafeteria Club.

Delta has done a lot to improve the clubs from 15 years ago. However sales and operations are not in sync.
I dont think branding is the issue, but pricing. Someone that travels half the year is basically paying for a Bud Light and a bowl of pretzels each visit. If people actually thought about how little $600 is, they wouldnt be upset about the lack of exclusivity.

Yeah, DL plays up the luxury a little too much, but people need to take some responsibility for reading past the marketing. I mean, Im heading to an all-inclusive because some friends are having a wedding there. The place advertises itself as being a luxury resort, but that doesnt mean I believe them. I know that it simply isnt possible to provide me world class food and drink and lodging and service for what they charge. Ill go and drink well margaritas and eat middling to bad food. Ill probably even have a good time. What I wont do is be surprised or indignant about it.

Again, it is $600. It isnt much money. Temper expectations.
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Old Nov 17, 2018, 8:28 am
  #86  
 
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Originally Posted by pbarnette
Again, it is $600. It isnt much money. Temper expectations.
This... 100%. A lot here think this is some exclusive invite only top tier premium lounge. It is not. Every single business traveler I know(even low level people) either pay themselves, use their status to get it or have a card to get in. Everyone has access to the SkyClub. Yet people think it should be kid free and the dining options should be 5*. It's not going to be. It's just some generally speaking reliable WiFi, a little quieter and some 'free' snacks to have instead of being in the terminal.

As poster said look past the marketing. It isn't luxurious...
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Old Nov 17, 2018, 8:38 am
  #87  
 
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Originally Posted by pbarnette

Again, it is $600. It isn’t much money. Temper expectations.
This number that you keep repeating is pretty meaningless. Remember that lots of people are paying to enter the club through very expensive J tickets, while others are entering with credit cards that grant access on a $29 per visit basis and may only enter a handful of times per year. Until this change, some people were paying $59 to enter. Even that person who travels "half the year" as you say is certainly not going to use the club on each visit.

And also recall that the club is not an independent business, but part of the larger DL offering. It is helpful to attract higher paying pax, maintain brand loyalty, etc. Indeed, when clubs were first created by airlines, they were not revenue generating at all, but rather a kind loyalty program for the best customers, and this remains true for DM's, who need to spend $15,000 per year with Delta to earn club entry as a perk.

So, please stop lecturing everyone about how cheap it is and how expectations should be aligned with this number that for most pax does not really enter into the equation. If I had paid $6K for a J ticket and I was offered a 50 cent hot dog I would also be irritated.
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Old Nov 17, 2018, 8:49 am
  #88  
 
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Exclusion of Non-Delta flyers from SkyClubs

The most damaging policy change to me is Deltas requirement that one fly Delta as to access the Sky Club if one has a full membership. In my base of Nashville, Tennessee, Southwests extensive non-stop operations are more time-efficent and attractive then Deltas requirements to go through their hubs, thus I am split 50-50 between both. I had been paying the full rate to access the club in Nashville and other cities (e.g. Jacksonville, Seattle, Philadelphia), even when flying another airline. This new policy change means that the most economical method to access the clubs is to get the Delta Reserve card at a cost of $450, not the $550 or so now being charged for a solo membership. With American Airlines also requiring that one fly American to access their clubs, it now make me wish that a vendor would open a private club in Nashville not affiliated with an airline. As an aside, I believe that Delta is now flexing their monopoly muscle as to extract for money from travelers, a benefit of their merger with Northwest and the consolidation of other airlines as well.
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Old Nov 17, 2018, 8:50 am
  #89  
 
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Originally Posted by jdrtravel
This number that you keep repeating is pretty meaningless. Remember that lots of people are paying to enter the club through very expensive J tickets, while others are entering with credit cards that grant access on a $29 per visit basis and may only enter a handful of times per year. Until this change, some people were paying $59 to enter. Even that person who travels "half the year" as you say is certainly not going to use the club on each visit.

And also recall that the club is not an independent business, but part of the larger DL offering. It is helpful to attract higher paying pax, maintain brand loyalty, etc. Indeed, when clubs were first created by airlines, they were not revenue generating at all, but rather a kind loyalty program for the best customers, and this remains true for DM's, who need to spend $15,000 per year with Delta to earn club entry as a perk.

So, please stop lecturing everyone about how cheap it is and how expectations should be aligned with this number that for most pax does not really enter into the equation. If I had paid $6K for a J ticket and I was offered a 50 cent hot dog I would also be irritated.
The solution is J-only lounges. AA and UA have them. DL needs them too.
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Old Nov 17, 2018, 9:09 am
  #90  
 
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Originally Posted by WWads


The solution is J-only lounges. AA and UA have them. DL needs them too.

Sure, that's one way to do business but it's not how DL currently does it, and it is therefore disingenuous to talk about annual sky club membership price as a benchmark for the quality of services in the club. And even if DL did open a few J only lounges like AA/UA have, they would only be in large hubs and there would still be lots of J pax who start their travel at smaller stations and would be using the regular clubs, as is true with AA and UA.
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