kale73

I used my two stupid one-time passes last year. One at DEN and one at LAX. I used them to "check out" the lounges to see if they might be worth purchasing an annual membership via upgrading to the "Club Card". My conclusion: not worth it - not by a looooong shot! (This was before the most recent "enhancement".) I visited on two of my 10-12 trips per year and I had ONE glass of wine in DEN and ONE beer in LAX to go with the aptly nicknamed gerbil food. If my single glass of wine/beer per visit is substantially more than that of an annual club member (not sure why you mentioned 1Ks, since membership is not a benefit of being 1K) I will be quite surprised.

Personally, I think United should close all of the clubs and turn the space over the respective airport authorities, which can then lease the space to someone who wants to open a decent restaurant.

Baze

Sorry, I used my 2 passes and did not drink at all. So sorry my "living it up" is costing you your free drinks of decent booze And I was a paying member for 10 years, 1999-2009 and didn't "live it up" then either. Stereotyping people will get you nowhere fast.

golfingboy

I am not sure about that, at least the beer offering in the SEN lounge is better at IAD with W-something [I can't spell it] as opposed to Becks.

Food is definitely markedly better in SEN lounges. That goes to show how much valuable frequent flyers are to LH Group's bottom line as opposed to Business Travelers.

eefor jfp

So it's Becks downstairs and something else upstairs at IAD? Interesting. Don't think that's true in Europe. At least, not where I am now. I also assume that the first class lounges are totally different but I don't have the experience (unfortunately). Regardless, they're pretty close and the point still stands that everything is free once you get in.

jfk747

Well with lax ifl soon to close one fewer lounge.Would be curious on the new login procedure for web access for star gold.

fastfxr

Funny...CO managed to do it, and do it quite well.

Indeed.


I'm a long time 1K and have been a RCC member for over 8 years. At this moment, I'm not entirely sure I'll renew my membership. I go there for quiet, to get work done, and maybe to have a drink or two. If it's as packed with morons as it's been this year, I won't renew. Hopefully, the changes will trim down the 'membership' numbers.

sebblum

Did the wifi login in CLE last week with TK Elite (Star Gold). Very easy and also a good landing page in general IMO. Wifi didn't appear to be faster or slower than before though.

nova08

Spot on.

tods27

Warsteiner

srletend

IAH Terminal B UC does indeed have Miller Genuine Draft bottles comp. I'll update the wiki...

OrlandoFlyer

The following is the response I received from Chase today. Pretty much what I expected.

iahphx

Yeah, as that price list shows, the price difference between bad keg beer and good keg beer is tiny -- even negative in this case. Hard to understand why UA would want to offer an inferior product in what's supposed to be an upscale lounge if it's not going to save them money.

I also can't understand why they'd offer BOTTLED beer complimentary and charge for draft beer. I'd have to believe that a bottle of MGD costs significantly more than a St. Arnold's draft to pour. It just doesn't make any sense: UA is just looking cheap and spending more money.

golfingboy

I think it is all marketing for Bud and MGD, they would sell/give their beer for almost free to gain visibility. Plus, their production is so voluminous and probably cost almost nothing per liter, so the cost for them to give beer out like candy is very low.

Yuengling, OTOH, is not as aggressive in marketing as Bud/Miller/Coors. You don't even see Yuengling TV commercials.

Gunner14

Not trying to make the argument for them but even if they cost the same per keg, they could still spend significantly more due to the increased consumption.

Akulashark

Emailed Smi/J about this issue. I had an executive assistant type call me back. She said he has noted our disappointment and will discuss it with the executive staff.

She told me they are investing $50M in updating the clubs. I cut her off and said that they won't be getting it back very soon by charging for cheap beer and all of us leave.

I think what got the call back was the suggestions I put in the email:

As you may or may not be aware, those of us that have been slighted by the bait and switch tactics of calling normal beverages "premium" and charging for them, after I renewed my membership, have begun a social media awareness campaign for United. We know how you like to be open and honest with communications.

I would like to point out that your "Premium" selections are way over priced, for instance your Mark West Pinot Noir sells for $8.99 retail for the bottle and you charge $13 for a glass. Even for Airport prices, that is high, assuming there are 4 pours in a bottle you are charging $52 for $9 wine. We will be bringing this to the attention of those you are wanting to be fair and honest with.

Another change I like is the fact that you now charge $3 for a draft pull of Heineken. If I am doing the math correctly, the draft you give for free is somewhere around $.56/8oz glass and your "Premium" Heineken is now $.62/8oz. I can see that my $400 club membership and ~$50,000 spend with the airline isn't worth a nickle to you.

This is a terrific example of Bad Revenue. Yes it'll work once, then everyone leaves.

Are you going to pull all the furniture except 2 chairs, replace the rest with plastic and then charge $12 for the soft chairs that are "Premium"?

Turkish Toilets are free but $12 for a western bowl?

Reused coffee is free, $12 for the first use?

Please respond, I would like to know the real reason for the changes.