Gutted over loss of GFL

Old Aug 30, 2018, 5:26 am
  #76  
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My only disappointment is getting rid of IAD GFL when UA has not identified a location or provide a more clear indication on the timing of the IAD Polaris Lounge. Why not keep it (similar to SFO GFL) until the new IAD Polaris Lounge is ready?

IAD is the step child hub of UA. It has more international flights than LAX, but has the worst United Club facilities and always an after thought for any airport facility related improvement.
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Old Aug 30, 2018, 7:37 am
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Originally Posted by Artpen100
At IAD, the one thing better at the GFL lounge compared to the LH Senator was the champagne. Ill miss that.
The entire IAD GFL booze cart was awesome. Excellent wine and spirits, all self pour.

While the PL bars have decent selections, the bars themselves are physically sparse and underwhelming. A shame as a beautiful bar can visually be an impressive anchor to a large space like the PLs.

But Id trade it all for a tacky card table in the corner with good bottles on it (a la IAD GFL) lol.
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Old Aug 30, 2018, 9:40 am
  #78  
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Originally Posted by HeadInTheClouds

The entire IAD GFL booze cart was awesome. Excellent wine and spirits, all self pour.

But Id trade it all for a tacky card table in the corner with good bottles on it (a la IAD GFL) lol.
+1! Happily remembering that as well. And, I always liked that Indian-spiced shrimp with an excellent glass of bubbly!
Bummer, I did not have a chance for a last visit before it was gone!
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Old Aug 30, 2018, 10:32 am
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Originally Posted by BOStonTravels
Im not sure I follow? Yes, the good old days of proper separate First lounges and three class service, a bygone era.
You mean like the upcoming Polaris lounges and Premium Economy class?
Sounds like you are getting an significant improvement...
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Old Aug 30, 2018, 12:19 pm
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Originally Posted by HeadInTheClouds

The entire IAD GFL booze cart was awesome. Excellent wine and spirits, all self pour.
The good news is much of the same brands (and a broader selection thereof) are on offer at the PLs.

The closure of the IAD GFL without a comparable replacement is consistent with United's one step back, two steps forward approach to lounge renovations, which is frustrating.
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Old Aug 30, 2018, 2:59 pm
  #81  
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Originally Posted by EWR764
The good news is much of the same brands (and a broader selection thereof) are on offer at the PLs.
+1 I can't speak to IAD but SFO usually had 2-3 decent labels (think Hendricks and Tanqueray gin, Absolut vodka, etc.) for each type of liquor plus decent beer (i.e. something besides horrid A-B products) and almost drinkable wines a step above the Charles Shaw qualify they serve for free at UCs fka RCCs.

Contrast to Polaris ORD (the only one I've visited) which has a huge selection and greater variety of spirits at the bar, all gratis (though not self serve). No comparison.
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Old Apr 3, 2019, 10:50 am
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Somewhat unrelated but I was in the KrisFlyer lounge at SYD the other day. They have a self service bar(no bartender). I have never seen this in the USA. I guess laws in US don't allow this to prevent underage drinking.
This was first time I ever saw a self service bar with beer and hard liquor.
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Old Apr 3, 2019, 11:01 am
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Originally Posted by leiserom
Somewhat unrelated but I was in the KrisFlyer lounge at SYD the other day. They have a self service bar(no bartender). I have never seen this in the USA. I guess laws in US don't allow this to prevent underage drinking.
This was first time I ever saw a self service bar with beer and hard liquor.
Love the SQ FC lounge at SYD. Used it many times when flying GFL out if SYD. Sadly no more after the demise of GFL on SYD flights
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Old Apr 3, 2019, 11:11 am
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Originally Posted by leiserom
Somewhat unrelated but I was in the KrisFlyer lounge at SYD the other day. They have a self service bar(no bartender). I have never seen this in the USA. I guess laws in US don't allow this to prevent underage drinking.
This was first time I ever saw a self service bar with beer and hard liquor.
the former SFO SilverKris lounge had a self service bar with beer, wine, and liquor. Got bulldozed and now part of the Polaris lounge.
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Old Apr 3, 2019, 11:15 am
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Originally Posted by leiserom
Somewhat unrelated but I was in the KrisFlyer lounge at SYD the other day. They have a self service bar(no bartender). I have never seen this in the USA. I guess laws in US don't allow this to prevent underage drinking.
This was first time I ever saw a self service bar with beer and hard liquor.
That must be a UA thing. I was at the AC, LH and SK lounges at EWR and they both had self serve bars. In addition, the AC and *A lounge at LAX also were also self serve.

-James
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Old Apr 3, 2019, 11:22 am
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The old President's club in Atlanta not only had a self-service bar, but it was almost like a vending machine. You would type in the kind of booze you wanted and the machine would spit it out from a dispenser.
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Old Apr 3, 2019, 11:29 am
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Originally Posted by leiserom
Somewhat unrelated but I was in the KrisFlyer lounge at SYD the other day. They have a self service bar(no bartender). I have never seen this in the USA. I guess laws in US don't allow this to prevent underage drinking.
This was first time I ever saw a self service bar with beer and hard liquor.
Once upon a time United had a business lounge in MIA, came along with their PAN AM routes to South and Central America. For whatever reason the bar was entirely self serve. The International First Class lounges (now closed) at JFK, LAX, ORD and SFO all had self serve liquor, wine and beer. I cannot remember the set up at SEA and EWR, it's been too long. My impression has been that the purpose of the bartender was to regulate and control the flow of drinks. As an example, I once witnessed a passenger in the ORD IFL pour a good half bottle of rose champagne into a child's thermos to take on board. He explained to those of us who witnessed the class operation that it took the FAs too long to get to serving drinks in the air and he did not want to lose his buzz.
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Old Apr 3, 2019, 11:51 am
  #88  
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Originally Posted by leiserom
Somewhat unrelated but I was in the KrisFlyer lounge at SYD the other day. They have a self service bar(no bartender). I have never seen this in the USA. I guess laws in US don't allow this to prevent underage drinking.
This was first time I ever saw a self service bar with beer and hard liquor.
The glorious UA FC lounge at SFO had all the self service booze one could hope for and more. The AA First lounge at LAX was similar. CX lounge at SFO is still self pour. I think it has nothing to do with laws and everything to do with saving coin.
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Old Apr 3, 2019, 11:53 am
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Originally Posted by travelinmanS
The glorious UA FC lounge at SFO had all the self service booze one could hope for and more. The AA First lounge at LAX was similar. CX lounge at SFO is still self pour. I think it has nothing to do with laws and everything to do with saving coin.
IIRC the UA FC lounge at SFO is still open and is now called the UC @ International Terminal G. When I was there in December, I recall there being an open bar (albeit I was tired having arrived from my flight from SIN so I may be incorrect here).
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Old Apr 3, 2019, 11:54 am
  #90  
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Originally Posted by leiserom
Somewhat unrelated but I was in the KrisFlyer lounge at SYD the other day. They have a self service bar(no bartender). I have never seen this in the USA. I guess laws in US don't allow this to prevent underage drinking.
This was first time I ever saw a self service bar with beer and hard liquor.
KLM lounge at KIAH has a self service bar with liquor.
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