SFO Club Closing
Jul 7, 2003, 10:50 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 723
This news saddens me but does not suprise me in the least. US keeps paring expense on a regular basis. This is a shame. Absolute shame. I really liked that club. Made getting to SFO early. The gate areas are so small and usually very croweded.
Any idea when it will close? Perhaps it will coincide with moving US to be nearer UA and therefore lessen the impact with access to the RCC.
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US-CP; UA PE; AA Plat; Hilton Gold VIP; Six Continents Gold
Any idea when it will close? Perhaps it will coincide with moving US to be nearer UA and therefore lessen the impact with access to the RCC.
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US-CP; UA PE; AA Plat; Hilton Gold VIP; Six Continents Gold
Jul 7, 2003, 1:33 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Long Island, NY
Programs: CoFounder and Chairman, FFOCUS (Frequent Flyers Organized and concerned about Unacceptable Service.
Posts: 1,341
My information was that eventually US would be moving to United area, therefore eliminating the need for a separate club.
I question the logic, however, as SFO clubs have traditionally been very crowded. On the other hand, the gate areas are much nicer.
Chalk it up to another potential boneheaded move by B. Ben and company.
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IT'S THE FARES, STUPID!!
Regards,
Art at ISP
I question the logic, however, as SFO clubs have traditionally been very crowded. On the other hand, the gate areas are much nicer.
Chalk it up to another potential boneheaded move by B. Ben and company.
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IT'S THE FARES, STUPID!!
Regards,
Art at ISP
Jul 7, 2003, 2:09 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Commuting around the mid-atlantic and rust-belt on any number of RJs
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Posts: 9,255
Unless I'm missing something, you only get RCC access when flying on UA.
So, let's assume that US moves in with UA. If you are flying on US metal, and a US club member, you are out of luck in the absense of a US club, or unless you are flying on a codeshared flight on a UA ticket. I don't believe that SFO-(PIT/PHL/CLT) have UA codes on them.
Now, elites might have some success once *A rolls around, but that'll be months away, and don't you want to bet that there will be a "domestic versus international" exception for *A lounge access between UA and US, not to mention putting the screws to general DM members who happen to be Club members.
This stinks. I won't be renewing my club membership between this potential move and the "narrowed" hours at LAX. I might, however, buy an RCC membership just to give BBB the finger.
Not to mention that the people at the SFO club rock. I once got an unsolicited call from them to inform me that the club was being cleaned on a night when I had a flight out (5 days hence) and that they'd arranged for use of the CO PC.
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Saving the world, one clue at a time.
So, let's assume that US moves in with UA. If you are flying on US metal, and a US club member, you are out of luck in the absense of a US club, or unless you are flying on a codeshared flight on a UA ticket. I don't believe that SFO-(PIT/PHL/CLT) have UA codes on them.
Now, elites might have some success once *A rolls around, but that'll be months away, and don't you want to bet that there will be a "domestic versus international" exception for *A lounge access between UA and US, not to mention putting the screws to general DM members who happen to be Club members.
This stinks. I won't be renewing my club membership between this potential move and the "narrowed" hours at LAX. I might, however, buy an RCC membership just to give BBB the finger.
Not to mention that the people at the SFO club rock. I once got an unsolicited call from them to inform me that the club was being cleaned on a night when I had a flight out (5 days hence) and that they'd arranged for use of the CO PC.
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Saving the world, one clue at a time.
Jul 7, 2003, 2:43 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 723
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ClueByFour:
Unless I'm missing something, you only get RCC access when flying on UA.
So, let's assume that US moves in with UA. If you are flying on US metal, and a US club member, you are out of luck in the absense of a US club, or unless you are flying on a codeshared flight on a UA ticket. I don't believe that SFO-(PIT/PHL/CLT) have UA codes on them.
Now, elites might have some success once *A rolls around, but that'll be months away, and don't you want to bet that there will be a "domestic versus international" exception for *A lounge access between UA and US, not to mention putting the screws to general DM members who happen to be Club members.
This stinks. I won't be renewing my club membership between this potential move and the "narrowed" hours at LAX. I might, however, buy an RCC membership just to give BBB the finger.
Not to mention that the people at the SFO club rock. I once got an unsolicited call from them to inform me that the club was being cleaned on a night when I had a flight out (5 days hence) and that they'd arranged for use of the CO PC.
</font>
Unless I'm missing something, you only get RCC access when flying on UA.
So, let's assume that US moves in with UA. If you are flying on US metal, and a US club member, you are out of luck in the absense of a US club, or unless you are flying on a codeshared flight on a UA ticket. I don't believe that SFO-(PIT/PHL/CLT) have UA codes on them.
Now, elites might have some success once *A rolls around, but that'll be months away, and don't you want to bet that there will be a "domestic versus international" exception for *A lounge access between UA and US, not to mention putting the screws to general DM members who happen to be Club members.
This stinks. I won't be renewing my club membership between this potential move and the "narrowed" hours at LAX. I might, however, buy an RCC membership just to give BBB the finger.
Not to mention that the people at the SFO club rock. I once got an unsolicited call from them to inform me that the club was being cleaned on a night when I had a flight out (5 days hence) and that they'd arranged for use of the CO PC.
</font>
ClueByFour - You hit the nail on the head. I completely missed the important point that as a US Club Member you must be ticketed on a UA flight (UA Metal or US Codeshare with UA Flight No) in order to gain access to the RCC.
So that completely invalidates my notion that this move was to share resources between US and UA in the same station as far as Clubs were concerned.
That sucks, I don't understand why the US Clubs are being cut as the membership is paid for with either hard dollars or miles. Both of which to me are a currency that carries value and should cover the expense necessary to operate the club. Beyond the real estate expense the labor is not much as most staffs have seen staff cuts and the food/bev is low cost oriented.
This sucks for SFO flyers on US who have membership.
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US-CP; UA PE; AA Plat; Hilton Gold VIP; Six Continents Gold
Jul 7, 2003, 3:13 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Alexandria, VA - DCA
Programs: BA Gold, American Airlines, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 5,075
Grrrrrrr. 
The SFO Club has the best employees in the business IMO. They are great and VERY helpful.
I'll be there this week so I'll ask if they are closing or just reducing their hours (as has been noted elsewhere with the LAX Club).
The SFO Club has the best employees in the business IMO. They are great and VERY helpful.
I'll be there this week so I'll ask if they are closing or just reducing their hours (as has been noted elsewhere with the LAX Club).
Jul 7, 2003, 3:28 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
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What a shame - I liked the SFO club much better than the PIT and PHL hub clubs. The gate area in terminal one is dull and overcrowded.
Glad I did not renew my membership.
Glad I did not renew my membership.
Jul 7, 2003, 4:34 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Long Island, NY
Programs: CoFounder and Chairman, FFOCUS (Frequent Flyers Organized and concerned about Unacceptable Service.
Posts: 1,341
Assuming that US flights move to the United wing, I would think that a part of the US staff would be assigned to the UA club, and that the rules would be different there.
I have a contact on the inside and will try to find out exactly what's going on.
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IT'S THE FARES, STUPID!!
Regards,
Art at ISP
I have a contact on the inside and will try to find out exactly what's going on.
------------------
IT'S THE FARES, STUPID!!
Regards,
Art at ISP
Jul 7, 2003, 6:09 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: mystic island, nj, USA
Posts: 2,377
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Art234:
Assuming that US flights move to the United wing, I would think that a part of the US staff would be assigned to the UA club, and that the rules would be different there.
I have a contact on the inside and will try to find out exactly what's going on.
</font>
Assuming that US flights move to the United wing, I would think that a part of the US staff would be assigned to the UA club, and that the rules would be different there.
I have a contact on the inside and will try to find out exactly what's going on.
</font>
Jul 8, 2003, 6:36 am
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: NY Metro Area
Programs: AA 2MM Yay!, UA MM, Costco General Member
Posts: 49,038
I was there last week and the people were great. Its a shame. The RCC in SFO is nice, but crowded. That is rather academic if it cant be used. Why would someone fly US in that case when they could fly UA and use the RCC. Is anyone at US thinking? (Okay, it is a rhetorical question.......)
Jul 8, 2003, 7:24 am
#11
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: CT (NYC Suburbs), Gulf Stream, FL
Programs: United Premier 1K, American AAdvantage Gold
Posts: 3,089
As more leases run out, they will close others. This squares with my belief that they have concluded they make no money on their very frequent travelers. In that regard, it's just another version of champagne in the plastic cup.
Jul 8, 2003, 12:16 pm
#12
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by deelmakur:
As more leases run out, they will close others. </font>
As more leases run out, they will close others. </font>
Jul 8, 2003, 1:55 pm
#13
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: CT (NYC Suburbs), Gulf Stream, FL
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Posts: 3,089
Then, why didn't they? My guess is they are valuable to trade (also, you assume the people running the place think that far ahead). Good case in point is West Palm. Continental is bigger. The club is adjacent to their gates. They'd love to have it. US announced they were closing. They run very little service out of season. The staff even relocated to other cities (eg. LAX). Then they reversed course, and kept it. No more room in the airport for anybody else. It will be interesting to see who takes the SFO space. I stand by my original observation that this is another case of disdain for customers they have deccided don't earn their keep.
Jul 8, 2003, 2:45 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
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Posts: 5,035
If I recall, US has at least 6 or 7 gates at SFO and I have only ever seen 2 or 3 gates being used? Why wouldn't US switch with AS/QX to make better utilization of the space at SFO? Would they be saving any real costs with a switch like that?