01/13/2023
Starting February 3, Delta Air Lines is banning employees on nonrev travel and who are traveling on company business from accessing their lounges.
According to an internal company communication, Delta acknowledges the “lines out the door” of their clubs and that this includes “360 and Diamond Medallion Members – waiting for seats once inside” and says they’re eliminating access for employees who pay for membership in order to “ensur[e] our most loyal and valued customers have adequate access.”
Already Delta has raised the price of club memberships and banned non-elite customers from buying them and on February 3 will also take away access from elites flying coach on international trips and from club members who are flying on basic economy tickets.
All non-revs are banned from Delta Sky Club lounges.
That’s true for Delta employees and other airline employees with club memberships as well as those with qualifying American Express cards.
And it’s true for Delta’s employees traveling on company business.
Employees on paid and qualifying award tickets are still allowed to use their club memberships or other forms of access.
elta is offering employees and retirees with paid Sky Club memberships pro-rated refunds as an option. Employees and retirees with Delta Reserve cards which offer Sky Club access are also entitled to pro-rated refunds of their annual fee if they fully cancel their cards. That refund will be provided by Delta, rather than American Express. These options are not available to family members who nonrev (pass riders).
The airline has also eliminated employee discounts on club memberships. Delta offers as some form of consolation, “public spaces conducive to working are available throughout the airports.”
This makes sense and is necessary, as part of delivering a quality Sky Club product. The lounges are too crowded to be a good experience, although I believe banning Diamond Medallions spending $1495 per year for an Executive Membership when they happen to be traveling on a basic economy ticket is nuts.
by Gary Leff on January 11, 2023
From Over The Wing
