Spinky

Yes -all I can say is all the bartenders received an email advising them not to be telling customers about the upcoming changes

Baze

Yet they told you anyway?

auggie doggie

Remember when they charged for drinks in the Red Carpet Club? Remember how they pitched it...."drinks at popular prices." I always got a laugh out of that.

If they think that $8 for a Dewars is popular, then Jeffy and I obviously don't go to the same bars. For what it's worth, I'm just not going to spend money on booze. My plan is to switch from scotch to vodka....have it mixed with cranberry (the tartness will mask the bath-tubby nature of it), and just get as sloshed as ever.

Wx4caster

I agree - it might also thin out the crowds. I would even go so far as to suggest combining the pmUA (nearly all paid) and pmCO (mostly free) models - something along the lines of each membership comes with a $200ish premium food and beverage credit, with a % discount for purchases for members vs non-members. Make the current set of well products a nominal $2/member (100 drinks per year), $4 non-member. Those of us who drink little/nothing would get more value from a nicer food selection, without subsidizing heavy drinkers. Let the people on passes do the subsidizing. Next, allow me to recharge my card for double miles (or even promo recharges for 3x or 4x the miles), or exchange points for club credits.

I can rationalize knowing x%of my membership $$ is just for use of the space and y% is for food/beverage. Similar to only paying for the cable channels I really want.

cyclogenesis

Again, how can Asian and European carriers give it for FREE to *G (or equivalent) fliers?

AND have great food and booze and wifi? Oh and to paid premium cabins too, domestic and international..

Wx4caster

Not every business model that works in Asia and Europe works here in the US. Aren't some of these foreign lounges by invitation only? And since when has UA ever done anything up to the standard of quality foreign carriers? Regardless, I just want a nice club experience every time I visit (not just when traveling internationally as a *G) and the current system definitely isn't cutting it.

LarkSFO

That would make me less excited...

Perhaps a top shelf margarita for $10, or if they have some fine scotch or brandy it may call for $10+.

Not Grey Goose though.

We'll see soon, won't we?

lensman

What's this story about surviving life members getting free drinks regardless?

FriendlySkies

Having a secure wifi connection also ensures that non-members don't sit outside the lounge and mooch off the wifi. This is a big bonus in my book.

jadenus

This statement is not the same as "No business model that works in Asia and Europe works here in the US." Further, Cyclogenesis asked about one particular business model, not every business model. You're being dismissive of a valid question. How is it that United, a "founding member of Star Alliance," as Jeff has told me many times on his pre-safety video self-congratulatory pat on the back, can't do what most other Star Alliance carriers can do?

Whether or not they are invitation only, they still collect the money. Whether by credit card, lifetime subscription, annual payment, or one-time day passes, we pay a premium amount for access and we get a sub-standard product.

As for if UA has ever done anything up to the quality of foreign carriers, I think that's a defeatist attitude. It's pretty much saying they can't do it because they never have. I think that's a plate of baloney sandwiches. They can do it if they wanted to. Other carriers provide a much higher quality experience using the same or fewer resources. United just chooses not to.

We're in complete agreement here. ^ I might sound like an over-entitled elite, but I think my money should provide a much better experience than it does. Sure, it's better than sitting at the gates, but that's setting the bar pretty darn low. We should have lounges that are comparable to the *A lounges (either international or operated by foreign carriers in the US), without the periodic "changes we think you'll like" cutbacks we have grown to despise.

cyclogenesis

Very few (Singapore in Sydney... and another I can not recall) are invite only..

BUT again, as a *G in a non us airline it us EVERY time you visit!

Oh the lofty days of being a Qantas gold.. Hot food and good drink on domestic flights..

wildbill412007

This business model should expand. Perhaps Olive Garden could start a club where they charge 500 bucks a year, and then let you order off the menu at only 20% more than the menu price, but let you come in through a small door hidden in the corner.....

DelrayChris

UA can, it simply chooses the questionable revenue over providing quality customer service. Alcohol is inexpensive, especially when you consider UA's volume, bargaining power with distributors, and associated mark-up.

It's short-sighted management, IMHO. Let's nickel and dime a certain customer base so that I can get a better bonus.

halls120

^ ^ I'm really on the fence with regard to renewing my UC membership next year. It seems like every change is designed to make the club experience less enjoyable.

dan1431

I have been testing the Wi-Fi at a few of the hub clubs and as of late the speeds have improved fairly dramatically.

Recently at SFO (the club was packed) and I was seeing speeds approx 40Mbps Down and about 20Mbps Up. No complaints there.

I am not sure the motivation for password protecting the Wi-Fi, having enough bandwidth and the capacity provide should be enough, IMHO.

If the blast email is any indication of the change in Wi-Fi it does not look like a third party is going to be handling the Wi-Fi (aka T-Mobile, at&t, etc.) instead it looks UA is going to continue to in-house but add this extra layer of authentication.

Dan