Pegasus01 From United States of America, joined Aug 2009, 35 posts, RR: 0 Posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 8681 times:
Wow.
Ok so before I get started and get a million relpys on how it was my responsibility to check and see what is offered at AA's admirals club let me save you some time and say your all 100% right. Jackass move.
Here's the deal. Had a last minute meeting with a big customer come up and had to catch a flight to LA real quick. Normally book with Jet blue but was unavailable. I don't normally book with AA. I have absolutely no problem with AA other than their PTV policy on domestic flights.
Anyway I thought i'd check out the admirals club for the first time in the new terminal. By the way great Job AA. I think its beautiful. IMHO much nicer than jet blue.
Let me cut to the chase...
No free drinks, No free food? Whats the deal. I mean come on. And for paying customers who have to dish out $50 to just get through the door whats in it for them? Free wifi? A quiet room? Give me a break.
Just got back from paris last week went AF and there they didnt charge a dime. The spread wasnt that bad either. Forget about what they offered at the business lounge at CDG...
Thoughts please and forgive me for ranting, on my third 9$ cocktail.
Last point, whats that cool looking mini tower for between the two sections of terminal 8(AA)
Regards.
PS. Forgot to mention that im in NY so this is live from JFK
Force13 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 229 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 8644 times:
Wait...50 bucks to get in for the privilage of $9 drinks? After seeing so many pictures of other Airline lounges on A.net I have to say I agree with you.
*crosses AA of list of lounges to visit*
Do not taunt. Do not shake. Do not pander. Add coffee. Subject should be slightly human within an hour.
Reality From United States of America, joined Apr 2007, 375 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 8644 times:
777STL From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 3033 posts, RR: 3 Reply 3, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 8646 times:
It's worth pointing out that soda/coffee/tea/water is free and there is usually fruit and snacks available for free as well.
I avoided this problem by buying a Qantas Club membership - I get free drinks when I use Admiral Clubs and it was cheaper.
Fco110 From United States of America, joined Sep 2008, 79 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 8647 times:
They have food in Chicago, although certainly not like BA lounge in T5 where you can eat and drink like a king. Snacks etc. is all. The US airline clubs have always been a notch below the foreign airlines probably because of the larger volumes of people going through them. If traveling domestically it is certainly better than a terminal seat and if you are taking an international flight in business or above you do receive drink coupons. I have always taken it for what it is and with that attitude for the 20-30 flights out of ORD I take a year find it a pleasant experience.
DLPMMM From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 3529 posts, RR: 9 Reply 5, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 8644 times:
Quoting Reality (Reply 2): But that's the point. That's what you get. It's not worth paying for. But if you are in an elite tier, and don't have to pay for it, then it's great.
EXPs have to pay unless on an international flight. That is why I have a Platinum Amex now (good for most airports).
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31118 posts, RR: 74 Reply 6, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 8647 times:
This is no different than every other domestic airline. U.S. airlines can't have free drinks and tons of food. The clubs are much more widely visited by domestic passengers and members than clubs in Europe. That being said:
1) There are free drinks, albeit non-alcoholic. Soda, coffee, tea, juice - it's all free.
2) There is free food, albeit snacks. Cookies, cheese and crackers, apples, pears, mini muffins, mini bagels, etc. The LAX admirals club has free sandwiches in the evening, thanks to Qantas.
3) If you fly C on a trans-con, to MEX or anywhere outside North America, you get two free drinks when you check-in.
4) AA has two lounges. F passengers on 3-class trans-cons and long-haul get to use the Flagship Lounge. This lounge - only at LAX, JFK, ORD, MIA and LHR - has free food and alcohol and is more on par with the standard for foreign airline lounges.
There is nothing to fault here. AA's clubs are on par for U.S. domestic airline lounges.
DL Widget Head From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 2040 posts, RR: 5 Reply 7, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 8514 times:
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 6): This is no different than every other domestic airline. U.S. airlines can't have free drinks
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 6): AA's clubs are on par for U.S. domestic airline lounges.
Not quite. DL's clubs offer unlimited (as long as one is not intoxicated) complimentary alcoholic beverages as well as soft drinks, snacks etc. I believe CO's clubs have a similar policy to DL.
DeltAirlines From United States of America, joined exactly 14 years ago today! , 8771 posts, RR: 13 Reply 8, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 8514 times:
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 6): U.S. airlines can't have free drinks and tons of food.
Delta, Alaska, Continental (and Northwest before merger) all gave free alcoholic beverages to anyone in the lounge.
Delta has limited snacks (similar to those found in an Admirals Club), but they do have English muffins and bagels at breakfast, as do CO and AS. CO has a pretty decent selection of snacks, and DL does roll out some hors d'oevres at dinnertime at the JFK and ATL international gateways. Not a ton of food, but right with the competition (and the free drinks beat the offerings of AA, UA and US).
Jetstar From United States of America, joined May 2003, 1524 posts, RR: 10 Reply 9, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 8514 times:
As a former AA Admiral’s Club member and now a Delta Sky Club member, I have to say that DL’s clubs have an edge over AA’s clubs because of their free alcohol policy.
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31118 posts, RR: 74 Reply 10, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 8513 times:
Quoting DL Widget Head (Reply 7): Not quite. DL's clubs offer unlimited (as long as one is not intoxicated) complimentary alcoholic beverages as well as soft drinks, snacks etc. I believe CO's clubs have a similar policy to DL.
I stand corrected, though looking at Delta's website, the complimentary bar is only at select airports - mainly hubs, plus EWR, LGA, MKE and SFO. Or is the full-service bar also complimentary?
Too bad, though. I guess AA tries to justify it because they operate two levels of lounges, albeit the second level is only at five airports. Still pretty pathetic, then. At least wine and beer should be free.
Coal From United States of America, joined Aug 2006, 1627 posts, RR: 6 Reply 11, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 8513 times:
Quoting Reality (Reply 2): But that's the point. That's what you get. It's not worth paying for. But if you are in an elite tier, and don't have to pay for it, then it's great.
How can that be great, when on airlines such as SQ you get a beautiful lounge, massage chairs, full course meals, drinks, capuccinos, and even tea and pastries delivered to your seat at high tea time?
AA sucks big time. That's the bottom line. It's because of AA's conformist customers that they get away with such a poor product.
Cheers Coal
Nxt Flts: QR SIN-DPS | SQ DPS-SIN | 3K SIN-SGN-SIN | SQ SIN-PEK | CA PEK-FNJ-PEK | CX PEK-HKG-CGK
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31118 posts, RR: 74 Reply 12, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 8515 times:
Quoting Coal (Reply 11):
How can that be great, when on airlines such as SQ you get a beautiful lounge, massage chairs, full course meals, drinks, capuccinos, and even tea and pastries delivered to your seat at high tea time?
Again. AA offers two levels of lounges.
The Flagship Lounge has an open bar, and serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, "late night dinner," and, yes, it even has afternoon tea served at 4PM every day.
Still not on par with BA, SQ, etc., but nothing a U.S. carrier does is.
DL Widget Head From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 2040 posts, RR: 5 Reply 13, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 8514 times:
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 10): looking at Delta's website, the complimentary bar is only at select airports - mainly hubs, plus EWR, LGA, MKE and SFO. Or is the full-service bar also complimentary?
All of the full service bars offer complimentary drinks. In locations where a full service bar may not be available, the bar is open to help oneself (but it is monitored).
ThegreatRDU From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 2273 posts, RR: 3 Reply 14, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 8249 times:
What kind of lounge charges for alcoholic beverages
Quoting DL Widget Head (Reply 7):
Not quite. DL's clubs offer unlimited (as long as one is not intoxicated) complimentary alcoholic beverages as well as soft drinks, snacks etc. I believe CO's clubs have a similar policy to DL.
Nice already better than AA's second tier
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 12):
The Flagship Lounge has an open bar, and serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, "late night dinner," and, yes, it even has afternoon tea served at 4PM every day
The Flagship Lounge has an open bar, and serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, "late night dinner," and, yes, it even has afternoon tea served at 4PM every day
Which airports
Airports with heavy F service - MIA, LAX, LHR, ORD and JFK.
NYCAdvantage From United States of America, joined Sep 2009, 343 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 8137 times:
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 12):
The Flagship Lounge has an open bar, and serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, "late night dinner," and, yes, it even has afternoon tea served at 4PM every day
Is this in a different part of terminal 8 because he was at JFK, and how much is the fee difference?
Hardly. The fine restaurants at O'hare serve better than the food for sale in the clubs and the free food is limited to the cheapest and least appealing crackers and fruit [self] served from a bovine-style feeding dispenser.
Quoting Fco110 (Reply 4): in business or above you do receive drink coupons
Correction: coupon.
Quoting Coal (Reply 11): It's because of AA's conformist customers that they get away with such a poor product.
The lounges are generally to a high decorative standard, so give them that. The big clubs (in Chicago for instance) are often over crowded (evening Europe rush) and feature expensive drinks, but do offer some good views and a bit of workspace. I'm not sure if it's the customers who are conformist or merely legacy airline management - who suffer an almost complete lack of innovation and who are completely dominated with imitating each other.
Longhornmaniac From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 3094 posts, RR: 48 Reply 18, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 8067 times:
There is no fee. You cannot join the Flagship Lounge.
It is for people at those select airports who are traveling F on a 3-cabin trans-con flight or international F (international defined as Europe, Asia, South America, and Mexico City).
NYCAdvantage From United States of America, joined Sep 2009, 343 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 8038 times:
Quoting Longhornmaniac (Reply 18): There is no fee. You cannot join the Flagship Lounge.
It is for people at those select airports who are traveling F on a 3-cabin trans-con flight or international F (international defined as Europe, Asia, South America, and Mexico City).
777STL From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 3033 posts, RR: 3 Reply 21, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 7935 times:
Quoting Coal (Reply 11): AA sucks big time. That's the bottom line. It's because of AA's conformist customers that they get away with such a poor product.
As if DL's customers are so much more sophisticated? Please.....
DeltAirlines From United States of America, joined exactly 14 years ago today! , 8771 posts, RR: 13 Reply 23, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 7913 times:
Quoting DL Widget Head (Reply 13):
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 10):
looking at Delta's website, the complimentary bar is only at select airports - mainly hubs, plus EWR, LGA, MKE and SFO. Or is the full-service bar also complimentary?
All of the full service bars offer complimentary drinks. In locations where a full service bar may not be available, the bar is open to help oneself (but it is monitored).
All DL lounges have free alcoholic beverages.
Delta is currently going to be moving to the self-service bar, as was found in many of the former WorldClubs. There will be some locations where this will not be done - the most notable one is Atlanta. Reason for this is due to state liquor laws - some states require alcohol to be served to patrons, so a bartender will be kept at these airports (RDU is another example). The Seattle WorldClub is one of the airports where the alcohol is not self-service (though soft drinks are self-serve).
JDAirCEO From Uruguay, joined Jan 2006, 243 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (3 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 7912 times:
The Flagship Lounge in ORD is not that good. Its a very small lounge with no showers and the bathrooms were common use and small. Dinner service was a spread of appetizers, hardly what one would call a meal. If you could put these features in a larger lounge it would be worth it but otherwise its just too small and lacked other basic amenities.
An MD-80 is great... in first class
25 Atrude777: I flew J Class JFK-LAX in AA, and got to go to the Admiral's Club, but don't remember getting anything for free. Alcohol and soft drinks had to be pai
26 DeltAirlines: I've never had to pay for soft drinks at an Admiral's Club - booze yes, but a Coke was always free.
27 BigBadBoo: Ok, your point is accepted and valuable - as you note however, to most of us the reality is you get ONE coupon. The view is ... terrible. Unless you
28 BigBadBoo: Some pics of the O'hare Flagship (AA) lounge: Food and beverage area nice adult beverages: pretty decent food; aka "Flagship Supper" - the meals onboa
29 MAH4546: Never. Soft drinks, juice, coffee and tea are always free. It is the same free food found at any domestic airline club. Why do people expect more? I
30 ThirtyEcho: My Grandfather was an original member of the Admirals Club. Membership was by invitation only and there was no charge for joining or any other fees in
32 BlueFlyer: US carriers see their lounges as, mostly, a profit center. Asian and European carriers use their lounges as an extension of the service/amenities one
33 MAH4546: Why is that funny? Do you fly AA domestic first every two weeks? Because I do, and while I can't compare it much to other U.S. carriers, their domest
34 ThirtyEcho: Well, I do enjoy a cold blueberry muffin as well as the next person or a singed omelette with a cold center and six ounces of orange juice. What I re
35 MAH4546: Good for you. I've enjoyed hot meals on various AA flights that were actually quite good, followed by hot fudge sundaes or ice cream over a fruit pur
36 Ikramerica: Flagship lounges are attached to the Admiral's club, through a second door. They offer a cold hors d'oevres and dessert spread, along with free drink
37 MAH4546: JFK and LAX are connected. ORD, LHR and the temporary MIA FL (new one is under construction) are independent. Okay, so some places have cookies and o
38 Toptravel: I agree, after paying out quite a few coins to fly across the pond in B/C they gave me a drink voucher for one drink at their over crowded club in ORD
39 MAH4546: You were entitled to more drink vouchers. It's unfortunate that the staff does not make more customers aware. That is certainly a big problem that AA
40 Lufthansa: BS. Are you going to tell me BA at LHR for example doesn't handle as many people as AA at JFK? How about "the Wing" in hong kong? I'm not even going
41 777STL: You can't purchase a membership to the flagship lounge like you can with the Admirals club. The Flagship is only for customers travelling in internat
42 FCO110: think I go on to say it is snacks, but they have muffins in the am and cookies in the pm as well as veg trays. We get one or two but have also been a
43 DLDTW1962: I have been a member of the Delta Crown Room (Now Delta Sky Club) for 5 years now. And I can say that it fits me just fine. There a nice place to rest
44 CalibansA333: Wait so you're telling me thats not normal??? Just kidding of course. But honestly. The UA red carpet clubs are not even comparable to lounges in Eur
45 Bongodog1964: Surely there are few airline lounges with a higher passenger volume than BA at T5, who manage to provide a very good level of service across 3 differ
46 YYZYYT: I'm weighing in over this comment - my experience is with Maple Leaf lounges by AC, which are not exacly great for domestic flights. But they do offe
47 YTZ: In my experience, AC's Maple Leaf Lounge is pretty decent in comparison to many of the lounges I have experienced in the US. And even better than some
48 FCO110: I guess you are right that you cant have both - for the duration of fights in the US I think the lounges are perfectly acceptable. When flying to Eur
49 BigBadBoo: The reality is that in the rest of the world and even some US airlines, no cheesy coupons are needed for drinks after paying for a $25,000 F class ti
50 FCO110: If you want something you ask - since when have businesses become entitlements that understand your every need? You can look at many purchase transac
51 MAH4546: The Flagship Lounge exists at every U.S. airport in which AA offers 3-class service except Dallas. In Dallas, F passengers use the British Airways lo
52 Jpetekyxmd80: Well said, and put politely. I have to agree with you, the coupon thing is a little tacky, especially when they're obviously not very generous with t
53 Ikramerica: Same question for the RRC at JFK. I may be there for 3 hours before my flight on Sunday, and wonder if the $50 is worth it. I usually fly DL or AA ou
54 DeltAirlines: I should have prefaced it by saying decent compared to the lounge offerings of other US carriers (which is where the PC tends to compete for business
55 Toptravel: Just like to add, I fly at least once a month very long haul either in F/C or B/C, I have been around the traps for many many years. The AA club in OR
56 SCL767: I do not think that the Galleries First Lounge at T5 is anything to rave about. And the food at BA's Club isn't any better than AA's ORD FL or even M
57 FiestaFlight: I'm about done with OneWorld after this year....I go to asia 3+times a year and europe 1-2 times....(barely enough to stay Platinum anyway) and it jus
58 Viscount724: One problem I noticed on my 2 visits to the BA business class lounge at LHR T5 (the one at the south end of the terminal...there's one at the north e
59 BigBadBoo: American at least gives lip service to One World benefits. Some are entitled to use top tier lounges (AA " flagship") because we fly in F on other O/
60 777STL: It's a perk of being a member. I don't get it as a QF club member and neither do the AMEX users. I don't see what the big deal is.... Not sure what y
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