Sky Club Access questions (June 2022 onward)
#331
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 22,927
My apologies if already asked/answered (this is a long thread!) ... do you think the 3-hour rule would apply to Skyteam International flights? PM flying Atlanta to Calgary in late June, all on Delta metal. Can I arrive at a Skyclub more than 3 hours ahead of the departure from Atlanta? It seems to me the Skyteam rules supersede Delta rules? https://www.skyteam.com/en/lounges
Last edited by xliioper; May 8, 2022 at 7:00 am
#333
Join Date: Jan 2022
Programs: DL, UA, AA
Posts: 1,991
#334
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: Delta PM, Hyatt Plat-ist, Bonvoyyyyyyed, Hilton $15 Daily F&B Receiver, Food Lion MVP
Posts: 1,203
edit: we agreed that the 3hr rule was somewhat reasonable but the arrivals rule was a sledgehammer
#335
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: Delta PM, Hyatt Plat-ist, Bonvoyyyyyyed, Hilton $15 Daily F&B Receiver, Food Lion MVP
Posts: 1,203
If, as many people here are claiming, it's just a "pick up food, use the toilette, and go" situation for many folks, there's also perhaps a good reason to do so. It costs money to staff and supply food for this purpose. Now I can see how that would be a great deal for $550 per year for some folks, but perhaps a money-loser for the skyclub.
#336
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 5
I'll echo the concern about the arrival loss -- minor for "quick stop to use a bathroom when convenient", bigger for "taking a little bit to wake up after a redeye before driving to home/office". That's been talked to death, though I'll add that one problem here may be that, while Delta has plenty of data on entrances, they may not have similar data on exits (though a camera in the right place and some image recognition technology might have already closed that gap.)
There's a more interesting use case on the departure side which no one has yet brought up, and the club personnel aren't quite sure about yet either. Yesterday, my wife and I had a 6 PM flight out of O'Hare, but we were finished with our event of the day earlier than expected, so we headed to the airport a little after noon to get on the standby list for a 3:30 PM flight (successfully, as it turned out). While checking in at the club desk at around 12:30 PM after clearing security, I asked what the policy was going to be after June 1 in this case -- my boarding pass was for a departure outside the three hour window, but I was on the standby list for a flight within the three hour window. The agent thought that was a great question and didn't know the answer; since there was no line of people trying to get in waiting behind me, the multiple agents up front chatted amongst themselves and concluded that Delta *should* be letting me in, since I was trying to get out on a flight in three hours, and we agreed that this was the type of situation where a potentially extended stay in a Sky Club was quite reasonable -- in fact, the policy should be designed to allow for precisely this type of circumstance. Has anyone seen an officially stated policy on this?
If anyone's curious, the club was not particularly crowded on this day. The agents stated (without prompting from me) that something needed to be done about crowding, but that this wasn't the right solution... they in particular offered up how folks were just going to book refundable tickets to get into the club and then cancel them. (!)
There's a more interesting use case on the departure side which no one has yet brought up, and the club personnel aren't quite sure about yet either. Yesterday, my wife and I had a 6 PM flight out of O'Hare, but we were finished with our event of the day earlier than expected, so we headed to the airport a little after noon to get on the standby list for a 3:30 PM flight (successfully, as it turned out). While checking in at the club desk at around 12:30 PM after clearing security, I asked what the policy was going to be after June 1 in this case -- my boarding pass was for a departure outside the three hour window, but I was on the standby list for a flight within the three hour window. The agent thought that was a great question and didn't know the answer; since there was no line of people trying to get in waiting behind me, the multiple agents up front chatted amongst themselves and concluded that Delta *should* be letting me in, since I was trying to get out on a flight in three hours, and we agreed that this was the type of situation where a potentially extended stay in a Sky Club was quite reasonable -- in fact, the policy should be designed to allow for precisely this type of circumstance. Has anyone seen an officially stated policy on this?
If anyone's curious, the club was not particularly crowded on this day. The agents stated (without prompting from me) that something needed to be done about crowding, but that this wasn't the right solution... they in particular offered up how folks were just going to book refundable tickets to get into the club and then cancel them. (!)
#337
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SEA, NW/DL 1.6Million Miler
Programs: DL 1MM Annual Silver,AS 100K 22-24, AS 75K 15-21
Posts: 4,261
Most Skyclub agents I've encountered, are also not happy, and are suggesting to do a complaint option. They say they've never been consulted or asked stations/locations before making such access policy change. Not sure if anything will happen but more people complain, at least, they might consider putting grandfather clause for its current membership, but am hopeful, with enough complaints, they might move pro-consumer. Why should the consumer who purchased membership pay for "Delta's over-capacity booking" for its lounges.
Jiburi
Jiburi
#338
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Lifetime Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Radisson Premium
Posts: 6,635
Most Skyclub agents I've encountered, are also not happy, and are suggesting to do a complaint option. They say they've never been consulted or asked stations/locations before making such access policy change. Not sure if anything will happen but more people complain, at least, they might consider putting grandfather clause for its current membership, but am hopeful, with enough complaints, they might move pro-consumer. Why should the consumer who purchased membership pay for "Delta's over-capacity booking" for its lounges.
Jiburi
Jiburi
#339
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: DL DM 1MM; IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 188
I'll echo the concern about the arrival loss -- minor for "quick stop to use a bathroom when convenient", bigger for "taking a little bit to wake up after a redeye before driving to home/office". That's been talked to death, though I'll add that one problem here may be that, while Delta has plenty of data on entrances, they may not have similar data on exits (though a camera in the right place and some image recognition technology might have already closed that gap.)
There's a more interesting use case on the departure side which no one has yet brought up, and the club personnel aren't quite sure about yet either. Yesterday, my wife and I had a 6 PM flight out of O'Hare, but we were finished with our event of the day earlier than expected, so we headed to the airport a little after noon to get on the standby list for a 3:30 PM flight (successfully, as it turned out). While checking in at the club desk at around 12:30 PM after clearing security, I asked what the policy was going to be after June 1 in this case -- my boarding pass was for a departure outside the three hour window, but I was on the standby list for a flight within the three hour window. The agent thought that was a great question and didn't know the answer; since there was no line of people trying to get in waiting behind me, the multiple agents up front chatted amongst themselves and concluded that Delta *should* be letting me in, since I was trying to get out on a flight in three hours, and we agreed that this was the type of situation where a potentially extended stay in a Sky Club was quite reasonable -- in fact, the policy should be designed to allow for precisely this type of circumstance. Has anyone seen an officially stated policy on this?
If anyone's curious, the club was not particularly crowded on this day. The agents stated (without prompting from me) that something needed to be done about crowding, but that this wasn't the right solution... they in particular offered up how folks were just going to book refundable tickets to get into the club and then cancel them. (!)
There's a more interesting use case on the departure side which no one has yet brought up, and the club personnel aren't quite sure about yet either. Yesterday, my wife and I had a 6 PM flight out of O'Hare, but we were finished with our event of the day earlier than expected, so we headed to the airport a little after noon to get on the standby list for a 3:30 PM flight (successfully, as it turned out). While checking in at the club desk at around 12:30 PM after clearing security, I asked what the policy was going to be after June 1 in this case -- my boarding pass was for a departure outside the three hour window, but I was on the standby list for a flight within the three hour window. The agent thought that was a great question and didn't know the answer; since there was no line of people trying to get in waiting behind me, the multiple agents up front chatted amongst themselves and concluded that Delta *should* be letting me in, since I was trying to get out on a flight in three hours, and we agreed that this was the type of situation where a potentially extended stay in a Sky Club was quite reasonable -- in fact, the policy should be designed to allow for precisely this type of circumstance. Has anyone seen an officially stated policy on this?
If anyone's curious, the club was not particularly crowded on this day. The agents stated (without prompting from me) that something needed to be done about crowding, but that this wasn't the right solution... they in particular offered up how folks were just going to book refundable tickets to get into the club and then cancel them. (!)
#340
#341
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold, GlobalEntry, Admirals Club, United Club
Posts: 1,929
I don't have a problem with any of the changes because they don't affect me personally (but I definitely understand the plight of others who use the lounge for arrivals/ more than 3 hours). However, the fact that lounge employees are telling customers to complain to Delta is basically the definition of a poorly implemented policy change. Whatever the numbers show, this fact means Delta royally screwed up the rule change.
#342
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,861
I guess the question is - what is the best "pro-consumer" way to reduce overcrowding, which everyone agrees is a problem. Let's not provide answers like "eliminate access for credit card holders" which is obviously a much more draconian solution (and much more unrealistic) than Delta is actually implementing.
I would actually implement the changes as described, but allow "Executive Membership" customers that purchase pass memberships outright to access clubs upon arrival - but that membership tier should go up in price to $1,200 or something. Access upon arrival has legitimate use cases, but those that need it should pay extra.
I would actually implement the changes as described, but allow "Executive Membership" customers that purchase pass memberships outright to access clubs upon arrival - but that membership tier should go up in price to $1,200 or something. Access upon arrival has legitimate use cases, but those that need it should pay extra.
#343
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,391
I guess the question is - what is the best "pro-consumer" way to reduce overcrowding, which everyone agrees is a problem. Let's not provide answers like "eliminate access for credit card holders" which is obviously a much more draconian solution (and much more unrealistic) than Delta is actually implementing.
I would actually implement the changes as described, but allow "Executive Membership" customers that purchase pass memberships outright to access clubs upon arrival - but that membership tier should go up in price to $1,200 or something. Access upon arrival has legitimate use cases, but those that need it should pay extra.
I would actually implement the changes as described, but allow "Executive Membership" customers that purchase pass memberships outright to access clubs upon arrival - but that membership tier should go up in price to $1,200 or something. Access upon arrival has legitimate use cases, but those that need it should pay extra.
#344
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,861
One compromise I think they should do is allow lounge arrival after a redeye. People like to use it for showers and since Delta is the only US airline to not offer a prearrival meal on a redeye, people are also hungry and want coffee upon landing. The DTW is usually pretty empty in the morning anyway when I go after a redeye so not like there is a line of people that can't get in.
#345
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 117
I guess the question is - what is the best "pro-consumer" way to reduce overcrowding, which everyone agrees is a problem. Let's not provide answers like "eliminate access for credit card holders" which is obviously a much more draconian solution (and much more unrealistic) than Delta is actually implementing.
I would actually implement the changes as described, but allow "Executive Membership" customers that purchase pass memberships outright to access clubs upon arrival - but that membership tier should go up in price to $1,200 or something. Access upon arrival has legitimate use cases, but those that need it should pay extra.
I would actually implement the changes as described, but allow "Executive Membership" customers that purchase pass memberships outright to access clubs upon arrival - but that membership tier should go up in price to $1,200 or something. Access upon arrival has legitimate use cases, but those that need it should pay extra.