EWR764

It does, and it does not. If United wanted to ensure the lounges were open to cover any flight delays, sure, a provision for same can be negotiated into the agreement. As it stands now, where the OP is asking if it is reasonable to expect lounges to remain open with extended flight delays, this is the reason they probably do not. Not an excuse, just the reality of the situation. When the lounge staff were all UA employees, it only would take a manager-level position to authorize overtime, and the club could stay open as long as they liked. Now, it's not so easy. Plus, don't forget that in the "good old days", with limited exception there was no hot food service and clubs weren't nearly as busy (especially at a hub). Thus, the operation wasn't quite as labor-intensive and it maybe only took a handful of staff at the bar, the front desk and elsewhere in the lounge to keep pax updated, drinks topped up and the hamster-feeders full. Simpler times.

With that said, I think closing the Polaris Lounge at EWR at 10pm is particularly stingy, as any delays at all to the dozen or more Polaris flight departing after 9pm means pax have to be thrown out when the club closes. The United Club at C-3 is the same way, but perhaps even worse as it serves chronically-delayed domestic flights at that hour.

mahasamatman

It's 100% about the contract. If it's in the contract, they'll do it. If it's not, they won't. No employee will (or should be expected to) work overtime out of the kindness of their heart.

Please look up the definition of "negotiate". It takes two sides to negotiate a contract.

goodeats21

I am trying to remember the specifics. I seem to recall in the RCC days when they delayed closing due to delays, the bar closed but we were allowed to hang out, use the WiFi, etc. I don't recall what they did with any food items.
It may very well have depended on individual specifics in each instance though.

Agree that the published hours need to be extended, and all the in-lounge amenities should be available up to closing time.

EWR764

In the past, at both the CO and UA sides, bar closing was often a matter of liquor license/local rules, but staff in the lounge stuck around until departure time. Anecdotally, I remember a long delay at the old Presidents Club at DEN and the bartender kept drinks flowing until about 9pm (we ended up leaving at 10) long after closing time. This was when bartenders were still CO employees. Admittedly I've only experienced this at outstations... thinking back, I don't think I've suffered an extended delay at a hub past opening hours so I'm not sure what the protocol used to be.

gmt4

Its been a few months (late March), but I had a severely delayed ORD FRA flight and they politely booted us out about 10 mins prior to 10 PM. Bartender did a last call around 930, and food was being taken up from the buffet around then as well. That's been a while ago so YMMV now.

tarheelnj

Does UA still have unattended lounges?

Years ago (somewhere 2012-14 or so) when I was GS, there was an unattended, unmarked GS lounge in Terminal A at IAD. I remember posting a photo of the door on the GS thread.

Just some water and canned sodas with basic furniture, but it was convenient when a UAX flight was delayed and you didn't want to walk back to the LH lounge in B.

WineCountryUA

Those lounges closed a long time ago.

seanp7

EWR is the same as this (or was in May 2022).

ed3

This isn’t only an issue with United. Ive been delayed in airports when bars, restaurants and non-UC lounges closed prior to the my flights departure.
I was in Vancouver last week on a delayed red eye and everything closed at the scheduled time, regardless of the delays.