Ronny Ray-Gun ... a winter wonderland ...
 

I'm in the Crown Room Club overlooking the tarmac here at Ronny Ray-Gun airport ... and it is quite a beautiful winter wonderland ... they just announced the airport was closed and would probably re-open in an hour ... I'm not holding my breath needless to say.

For all of those who may want another example of why to join an airport club ... I arrived at noon for my 1:00 pm flight on Delta. The ticket counters, including the elite line, was absolutely packed. I look at a monitor on my way to the CRC and my flight has already been cancelled. I walk in the door to the CRC, no waiting, I hand the agent my ticket and she prints up my boarding passes for the 1:40 pm flight through Cincinatti, already booked in first CVG-MSY and wait listed DCA-CVG (with a good chance of getting it so she says).

I am now surfing the 'net, drinking a nice cold bottle of beer, watching the activity down on the tarmac and relaxing while there folks still waiting in line at the ticket counters ... the CRC membership is worth every last penny, and know I know I'll renew yet again this year despite my lower level of travel.

Couldn't agree more.

Airline club memberships are worth every penny.

When AA was on strike in Feb. I arrived at JFK and saw the lines for First/Platinum snaking all over the terminal -- don't even ask about the Business or coach lines -- and took the elevator right up to the AAdmirals club and had a paper ticket issued against my e-ticket (I'd already re-booked on the phone the night before) to take over to United.

That alone, was worth the annual fee.

Yesterday, my flight from ORD to LGA was delayed thanks to the snow at ORD. No problem, I went to the Admirals Club, had a drink, some chesse and crackers, made a few calls then went to board my plane.

Travel is stressful enough. The airline club diminishes a lot of the hassle.

Ditto, as a budget traveller, I was against the idea of joining a club until I actually joined one.

Case in point #1 - During the Feb job action where the lines were a mile long in Logan, I joined Admiral's and the checkin was a breeze. The layover and hot shower in Narita was refreshing.

Case in point #2 - I took a Netsaaver trip from BOS-SFO last weekend (required Fri night/Sat morn departure and come back on Mon or Tue). Checked in at the club Saturday and told the attendant I rather come back on the Sunday night red-eye, and voila, the itinerary was changed. No fee, no questions asked.

Case in point #3 - Sunday night, LAX 9PM; discovered that my 10 PM flight to Boston was cancelled! Went into the club whose attendant offered to route me to NYC and then Boston, arriving 8:40 AM (two hours later than direct). I said that would no be my preferred choice and requested to be re-booked on UA. Two minutes later I am walking to the United terminal and got my ticket on UA. (Granted, they did place to call to Boston, the number I supplied, to inform me that the flight was cancelled.)

My only compaint is that domestic clubs are a lot stingier than international ones, which comparatively is a luxury. Oh well.

Hey, beckles, I notice that IAD is still operating with only a few (locally caused) delays and cancellations...I'd say score one for IAD, except you'd be hard pressed to get out there in this weather...

Matt Wald ~ I'm hard pressed to argue with that. The thing is, I typically come here for meetings in Crystal City, which is right next to Ronny Ray-Gun airport, so I don't need a rental car or any of that junk and it's infinitely more convenient. All I do is take the shuttle bus to the hotel (preferred: Crystal City Hyatt, secondary (like this trip): Courtyard by Marriott Crystal City, both right across the street from my company's offices and several other comapanies I do business with), and walk to my meetings.

DCA is hard pressed to deal with this kind of weather with only one primary run way ... that's why they are completely closed, to clear the runway, where as at most other airports you can work on clearing one runway, finishe and switch to the other while the first run way handles flights ...