Do you think a airline lounge is worth the money? - Page 2

dbaker · 01-14-2003, 12:16 PM

China is still provided with silver flatware (exception: knife) for bagels, muffins, doughnuts, gramdas cookies, crackers, cheese, etc.

I haven't noticed a change in the availability of food. What clubs have you been observing this at?

dalbert · 01-14-2003, 01:46 PM

I was unaware that drinks were free. I always thought that they charged for alchool.

dbaker · 01-14-2003, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dalbert

I was unaware that drinks were free. I always thought that they charged for alchool.

How long have you been a member?

dalbert · 01-14-2003, 02:02 PM

Going on 4 years...but I have never ever purchased a membership, I buy one use entraces each time I fly with Continental.

merchanb · 01-15-2003, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbaker

Continental presidents clubs are only available to members, American Express Platinum/Centurion cardholders traveling on CO, Priority Pass holders, and passengers in BusinessFirst.

Looked at my Northwest Card and it definitely says “Access to all WorldClubs.” Digging out the package Northwest sent me I see it says “ As an Asia Pacific Platinum or Gold Elite member you will receive complimentary access to all Northwest WorldClubs, select KLM business class lounges, Continental airlines Presidents Clubs, America west Clubs and Air China etc., etc. I guess the story is that, if you lived here in paradise, you’d get a better deal.

Let's face it . . . free is good.

dbaker · 01-16-2003, 06:02 AM

I wonder what benefits (if any) US-based Onepass Platinums would lose if the accounts were transferred overseas to get a free PC membership.

merchanb · 01-16-2003, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbaker

I wonder what benefits (if any) US-based Onepass Platinums would lose if the accounts were transferred overseas to get a free PC membership.

I don't think there are any fewer benefits. There are additional perks, ie., CO's "Extra Mile" (AC2M11) costs $99.00 rather than $150.00 for 15,000 miles and there are a number of flight+hotel packages to Bali, Cairns, Hong Kong, etc., starting at $499.00. It could be that they realize we have a lot of foreign carriers to choose from.

On the other hand it appears they go by your mailing address. If you try to use the Northwest site http://www.nwa.com/gs/en/home.shtml, it will first tell you "Simply purchase 2 roundtrip tickets in Economy Class or World Business Class to Japan and you and a companion will receive 2 free nights at a Tokyu Hotel in Japan." followed by "To book a flight you need to have a mailing address in Guam/Northern Mariana Islands."

On the other hand, if you are planning to move in order to become an Asia/Pacific member, I am pleased to be able to tell you that, even through it has only been 40 days since supertyphoon Ponsonga on December 8, the line crews aleady have most of the power poles back up and are even stringing power lines down the street where I live. We've had running water again for days . . . most of the time. (Yes, there are flaws in paradise.)

exitrowaisle · 01-29-2003, 06:40 PM

I used to be a member of the Admirals Club. It was great for long-haul international trips, because you could arrive at DFW early in the morning from an overnight flight, take a shower, change clothes, have some juice and coffee, and be fresh for your connecting flight. Now that I don't travel internationally as much anymore, I let it expire. Half the time the club isn't anywhere near my gates anyway, so 10 minutes in an armchair isn't worth the hike. And, I don't drink when I fly, anyway.

Nugget · 01-30-2003, 08:05 AM

I find that possibly the biggest perk of lounge membership is an unadvertised one which you can still utilize even if you've only got 10 minutes to pass through the club during your trip. The "down low" secret that's implied but rarely spoken is that the airline staff in a club tend to have more authority, less suspicion, more willingness, and less hesitation for getting you "taken care of" if you have travel needs.

Getting that boarding pass printed for the flight you're on the upgrade waitlist for is a much simpler task from inside the doors of the president's club. Getting a companion upgrade handled long before the last moment before boarding is rarely a problem. Despite their bluster, the club staff are even known to change your booking without pulling out the dreaded change fee forms from time to time.

We all hope for and mostly experience uneventful travel, but the occasional time when I need special care I find access to the staff in the club to be invaluable.

dalbert · 01-30-2003, 09:24 AM

That is absoluetely true, whenever I need to have a seat moved or flight changed most times they will do it without hesitation and for the flight change, they usually do it without charging me anythig extra.

That is why I am willing to shell out the extra money for the use of their clubs. The free food and dinks does not hurt either

.

View Poll Results: Is an airline lounge worth the money?
Yes it is, I'm a very heavy drinker so i get lots beer at the club and then get drunk and then I have comfy chairs to sit in.	7	53.85%
No it's not, nothing is avaliable there except cheap snacks and bad beer.	6	46.15%
Voters: 13. You may not vote on this poll

01-14-2003, 12:16 PM	#21
dbaker Senior Member ITYT Captain Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: IAH/HOU Posts: 2,354	China is still provided with silver flatware (exception: knife) for bagels, muffins, doughnuts, gramdas cookies, crackers, cheese, etc. I haven't noticed a change in the availability of food. What clubs have you been observing this at? __________________

01-14-2003, 01:46 PM	#22
dalbert Member ITYT Cabin Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: EWR Posts: 35	I was unaware that drinks were free. I always thought that they charged for alchool. __________________

01-30-2003, 09:24 AM	#30
dalbert Member ITYT Cabin Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: EWR Posts: 35	That is absoluetely true, whenever I need to have a seat moved or flight changed most times they will do it without hesitation and for the flight change, they usually do it without charging me anythig extra. That is why I am willing to shell out the extra money for the use of their clubs. The free food and dinks does not hurt either . __________________

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01-14-2003, 02:02 PM	#24
dalbert Member ITYT Cabin Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: EWR Posts: 35	Going on 4 years...but I have never ever purchased a membership, I buy one use entraces each time I fly with Continental.

01-16-2003, 06:02 AM	#26
dbaker Senior Member ITYT Captain Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: IAH/HOU Posts: 2,354	I wonder what benefits (if any) US-based Onepass Platinums would lose if the accounts were transferred overseas to get a free PC membership.

01-29-2003, 06:40 PM	#28
exitrowaisle Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Tucson International Posts: 9	I used to be a member of the Admirals Club. It was great for long-haul international trips, because you could arrive at DFW early in the morning from an overnight flight, take a shower, change clothes, have some juice and coffee, and be fresh for your connecting flight. Now that I don't travel internationally as much anymore, I let it expire. Half the time the club isn't anywhere near my gates anyway, so 10 minutes in an armchair isn't worth the hike. And, I don't drink when I fly, anyway.

01-30-2003, 08:05 AM	#29
Nugget Senior Member ITYT Navigator Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 610	I find that possibly the biggest perk of lounge membership is an unadvertised one which you can still utilize even if you've only got 10 minutes to pass through the club during your trip. The "down low" secret that's implied but rarely spoken is that the airline staff in a club tend to have more authority, less suspicion, more willingness, and less hesitation for getting you "taken care of" if you have travel needs. Getting that boarding pass printed for the flight you're on the upgrade waitlist for is a much simpler task from inside the doors of the president's club. Getting a companion upgrade handled long before the last moment before boarding is rarely a problem. Despite their bluster, the club staff are even known to change your booking without pulling out the dreaded change fee forms from time to time. We all hope for and mostly experience uneventful travel, but the occasional time when I need special care I find access to the staff in the club to be invaluable.