Who been turned away from a Sky Club with the 3 hour rule?
#61
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This hasn't happened to me yet because my new home airport (CLE) doesn'td have a SkyClub, this happened to my sister-in-law's husband, a 5 MMer. He is a regular at the DCA SkyClub and all the staff there know him by name and sight.
The rule seems easy for the club staff to enforce; the computer tells them whether the club member is more than 3 hours away from scheduled departure at the originating airport. Management must have told club staff, no waivers, no favors. Here is another area where I don't blame staff, I blame management.
The rule seems easy for the club staff to enforce; the computer tells them whether the club member is more than 3 hours away from scheduled departure at the originating airport. Management must have told club staff, no waivers, no favors. Here is another area where I don't blame staff, I blame management.
"Hey now that you are 3MM you can enter the SkyClub at 5 hours before departure so if you're 5MM you can show up a whole 7 hours early"
#62
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The question remains:
Is it no waivers and no favors on this for the US Congresspersons (Senators and Reps) wanting to use the SkyClub at DCA?
There are different sorts of US citizens who are currently seated members of US Congress, and what is busy and what being busy means has changed a lot with these folks too. Over the years, I’ve seen US Senators and Reps in NW+DL lounges too — sometimes being there even way longer than me. And that includes when flying DL out of DCA.
Is it no waivers and no favors on this for the US Congresspersons (Senators and Reps) wanting to use the SkyClub at DCA?
There are different sorts of US citizens who are currently seated members of US Congress, and what is busy and what being busy means has changed a lot with these folks too. Over the years, I’ve seen US Senators and Reps in NW+DL lounges too — sometimes being there even way longer than me. And that includes when flying DL out of DCA.
#63
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 3,097
There are different sorts of US citizens who are currently seated members of US Congress, and what is busy and what being busy means has changed a lot with these folks too. Over the years, Ive seen US Senators and Reps in NW+DL lounges too sometimes being there even way longer than me. And that includes when flying DL out of DCA.
#64
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Austin, TX
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I never understood why some treat the lounge like a Michelin start restaurant and want to spend tons of time there.
#65
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Sure, there are obviously cases where someone can end up in the lounge for a while (delays, cancellations, connecting - all of which are not subject to the three-hour rule). This is different than showing up to the airport half a day before your flight is scheduled.
Does anyone happen to know if the DL lounge reps have been instructed to not apply this rule to US federal legislators at DCA or if the practice is to grant them waivers and favors in this regard too?
#66
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I assume many (but not all) congresspeople are flying AA since the DCA hub has connectivity to many state capitals and other large cities. The folks from Georgia may be on Delta but with a UA hub at IAD as well, I'm guessing DL has the smallest percentage of the big 3 for Gov't pax into/out of DC.
#67
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 3,097
thanks
#68
Join Date: Feb 2017
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#69
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Auckland, NZ/New York, NY/ATL
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Lounges of the carriers-EK F/LH F, etc, they are as good if not better than Michelin stared restaurants with all the amenities (spa, day use cabanas, etc).
#70
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“Is it no waivers and no favors on this for the US Congresspersons (Senators and Reps) wanting to use the SkyClub at DCA?”
I take it that my respectfully responding to non-answer responses to my question isn’t the issue as much as a profound dislike for the question about whether DL has a policy where some SkyClub users are less equal than other SkyClub users with regard to the 3 hour rule. Thus, it’s not amazing that there is all this tangential “what have you seen”, “how do you know” or “whom do you know” downstream banter, even as all of that is irrelevant to the question asked — a question for which there must be a factual answer no matter how much the question about the 3 hour rule is disliked.
Any airline not on a sanctions list, if interested.
Last edited by GUWonder; Feb 21, 2023 at 9:47 am
#71
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI USA DL FO (until 2/04), NW silver '03, NW gold '04+'05 Plat '06+ (thanks, Leo!), DL SkyClub
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Posts: 2,233
Sometimes it's the ability to relax and get work done especially if you have a late flight.
#72
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 832
If they're going to have a time limit, then it makes more sense to have a time limit that's actually fully usable. And the only way to do that is to have it be from boarding instead of departure. They could make it an hour for all I care.
#73
Join Date: Aug 2007
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 1,076
Yes, of course it would make more sense. You're completely missing my point just because you want to argue.
If they're going to have a time limit, then it makes more sense to have a time limit that's actually fully usable. And the only way to do that is to have it be from boarding instead of departure. They could make it an hour for all I care.
If they're going to have a time limit, then it makes more sense to have a time limit that's actually fully usable. And the only way to do that is to have it be from boarding instead of departure. They could make it an hour for all I care.
Oh, since boarding seems to be calculated as 40min from departure, I guess that makes it 3 hrs from departure which is what Delta did. Everybody is now happy
#74
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI USA DL FO (until 2/04), NW silver '03, NW gold '04+'05 Plat '06+ (thanks, Leo!), DL SkyClub
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Willie: "But officer, I was only driving two miles over the speed limit."
Officer: "Sorry sir, rules are rules. Here's your ticket. Have a nice day."
Willie: "That sucks."
Officer: "I agree with you. But those whiz kids at city hall figured out that we'd have more monetization if we strictly enforced the speed limit. It's an enhancement, or so they said, but a lot of people don't like it. And I feel like a jerk enforcing it but, hey, this way I'm a jerk to everyone. No favors, no waivers. The speed limit sign is plainly posted so you knew what the rules are and, you know, rules are rules."
Officer: "Sorry sir, rules are rules. Here's your ticket. Have a nice day."
Willie: "That sucks."
Officer: "I agree with you. But those whiz kids at city hall figured out that we'd have more monetization if we strictly enforced the speed limit. It's an enhancement, or so they said, but a lot of people don't like it. And I feel like a jerk enforcing it but, hey, this way I'm a jerk to everyone. No favors, no waivers. The speed limit sign is plainly posted so you knew what the rules are and, you know, rules are rules."
Last edited by Dick Ginkowski; Feb 21, 2023 at 11:47 am
#75
Join Date: Feb 2017
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Sure, those lounges are very nice, but still not somewhere I'd get to the airport 5 hours early just to use. I had an 8-hour layover in Qatar last year and, while the lounge was nice, I would rather have been on my way to my final destination so I could start my vacation.