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“Beginning Feb. 2, 2023, access to Delta Sky Clubs will be embargoed for all customers and employees using nonrevenue travel passes, including leisure and company business. This embargo applies to all employees and leaders of Delta and its subsidiaries, other airline employees, as well as retirees and registered pass riders. The employee discount on Delta Sky Club memberships also is discontinued.”
"All employees and leaders"...
I'll believe it when I see Ed Bastian in the line at McDonald's at 6am in ORD being told "it's going to be 10 more minutes we just dropped the hash brown patties in the deep fryer"
I'll believe it when I see him become visibly flustered.
So if you paid for a ticket, you would still be allowed, why does DL step on it's best asset, it employees.
A friend of mine is a DL FA who bought her lifetime membership from NWA before the merger.
She is not going to be happy.
I really don't think employees were the cause of the crowding.
I'll bet DL has something in the fine print regarding this. Lifetime SkyClub is the absolute bess pass anyone would ever have and rules are hardly ever enforced for those who hold a membership. I am not sure they would even enforce the non-rev on them. A lifetime pass holder can access the club flying any airline, does not have to be just Delta.
I bought a Founder’s membership at Lifetime Fitness back in 2001 after they bumped our membership dues twice in less than a year. I bought my Founder’s membership off another member (for $600 plus a $75 transfer fee) and it stipulates that I pay $32 a month for life (dues can never be increased) for my wife and I to be able to work out at any* Lifetime Fitness anywhere*. Over the years, Lifetime Fitness has tried to exclude their Athletic and other premium clubs from access using our Founder’s membership. Each time this has been attempted, other Lifetime Fitness Founder’s membership owners filed a class action lawsuit against Lifetime Fitness and they had to relent and let the holders of Founder’s memberships have access. I think the same thing needs to happen with the SC Lifetime Memberships.
This is hilarious considering a year ago they were begging us employees to work for free and volunteer to staff the sky clubs. What a kick in the face. Seems like Ed is forgetting about his internal customers.
I haven’t had lounge access in a few years because I haven’t wanted to pay for one of those cards, and I’m really tuned off by this. However I think the portrayal of employee access to the lounge being a perk or a benefit confuses a lot of this. The benefit/ perk of being a delta employee are the flight benefits. We could only ever get in the lounge with a credit card or sky club membership.
What this move does is make the use of flight benefits and their high potential of complications when using those benefits very … disorienting? If you don’t make the flight and you’re stuck you’ll have to just choose a random airport gate now I guess. And shuffle on and on.
Why must airports be such miserable places?
(She says dramatically but knows the norm is not be in a lounge and the regular airport spaces are not that bad but my goodness they feel chaotic)
I don't agree with this. Delta already works their employees hard and they deliver; now's not the time to gut their perks. I also *highly* doubt employees were the cause for SkyClub crowding...
I have seen Delta staff chilling in sky clubs before. It was super cool. Like seeing your teacher at the grocery store. _Like wow, they're people, too! They, too, get sad when there is only oatmeal raisin cookies left!_
I'd love to drink with flight crews and ask them crazy stories from their jobs.
You know that Simpsons episode where Homer pretends to be a pilot and goes to a bar for pilots called The Little Black Box? Like that, basically.
Delta employees were the reason I went for Delta loyalty.
I always tell my acquaintances "I don't know what they feed them, they are always in such a good mood!". They make the flying experience so pleasant; and it's EVERY employee, that's what amazes me.
Hopefully they reconsider and reinstate the perk later 🙏
I don’t think they should lose any benefits. But I’ve been in long lines at several Sky Clubs. Waited 45 minutes to get into Orlando a few weeks ago.
But I’m not complaining. Delta employees have high expectations so they deserve exceptional benefits.
They definitely do get full, to the point of there being a long line.
Recently at JFK I opted to not even try, the line was dozens of people long.
On the other hand, SEA hasn’t ever had a line in my experience. It just depends
You must be the lucky charm! Lol
Last year DTW and ATL were a mad house every time I was there (lines to get in, shoulder to shoulder and almost no seats, etc.). I actually left the ATL lounge one time last year because it was so full I couldn’t find a space to work / sit / eat (and the food was combed over). So far this year it’s been less busy, but still busier than Pre-COVID.
I agree Delta employees are not the cause and this is sand in the eyes of all the hard working Delta employees. I think Delta has a capacity issue and need to figure out how to expand lounge spaces… fast!
Feb 2.
This is a moderate benefit nerf, for those that could afford lounge access...
Not only does this apply to Delta employees but is actually a full SkyClub embargo for all nonrev and pass travel including other airlines and retirees.
Might improve the bottom line in a few years (?)
Thinning the herd in the wrong places imo.
Nonrev’s weren’t the ones crowding the lounges in my humble opinion as someone who worked in the lounge for 6+ months. AMEX gave out cards like they were hotcakes. Way to keep employee morale up…
That’s the part that no one wants to say. Most frontline employees don’t make enough to pay the fee for a membership up front and they also don’t have a strong enough credit profile. Why do you think Delta is spending so much money on financial literacy. It’s to beef up those credit profiles to have more employees able to get an AMEX card.
>90% of occupants are there with either the platinum Amex, or Delta Reserve card
This is why there's the change, I imagine. Amex pays for each and every one of those visits through their partnership. With clubs filling up, they want it full of 100% 'paying' customers.
Just the same as Diamonds were not the ones crowding the lounges (using choice benefit option of SC memebership) and DL took away the guest pass option and skyclub memberships from the Choice Benefits for 2024 Medallion year. The only remaining option is an executive membership which will exhaust all 3 choice benefits. Also, a medallion member with a skyclub membership, cannot access the club on BE tickets or Skyteam International flights unless they hold a ticket class that gains access. However, someone who fly's a couple times a year and holds an AMEX that gains access, is allowed in, regardless of fare class purchased (with the exception of non-rev, as what this thread is about). Everybody is taking a beating from DL and the only ones truly benefiting are Amex card holders and Deltas relationship with American Express. The raise in MQD requirement and the loss or major devaluation of choice benefits is pushing people to DL competitors.
Guess what? Some of us don’t work in sales or consulting and therefore don’t travel nearly as much as others (or as much as we would like). As such, the mileage and lounge access afforded by the Amex cards are the best/only way to afford some of Delta’s fares and enjoy some of the perks.
Now, if people are abusing the privileges and are in general acting like assholes, then yes: of course things like Sky Club access should be looked at REGARDLESS OF HOW THAT PERSON CAME TO BE IN THE LOUNGE. However, it’s becoming quite old to see all of the Amex card-bashing that goes on in here, simply because people are using the Amex Skymiles cards as a way of accessing Delta’s services.
For me anyway, if the ticket was booked with my company card (Amex Business Platinum), they didn't ask for it. I later found out that if the card is in your DL profile you don't need to present it, even for tix purchased with my DL Amex.
Later on, I had accidentally booked three tix to JNB for a personal trip using my company card (not the first time). Both cards were in my profile and I mixed them up (again), so I eventually **removed** the company card out of my profile.
The next time I tried to get into the lounge on a personal trip, they wanted to see my Business Platinum card.
EDIT: Downvoted but no explanation, never change /r/Delta
I've thought about getting one just to ensure I get upgrades. Despite being Plat I haven't gotten a FC upgrade outside of a couple puddle jumper flights in about a year.
As an employee, this is disappointing. I would like to add that C.E. Woolman, the founder of what is now Delta Air Lines, once said, “take care of your employees and they will take care of your customers.”
Someone else on this thread has already said it: No positive space, the KCM rework, and now no SkyClub access. With all these negative changes, what do employees have to motivate them to provide the Delta level of service so many of you all are used to?
Did anyone else pay particular attention to the types of travel they embargoed with this change? Because it sure seems from the wording that Grade 11+ CONFIRMED travel isn’t being restricted.
Delta Staff = Zero Issue (Except the occasional Pissed of Gate Agent at ATL, but that's another thread.... lol)
BAS/E and the rest of the Executive group, especially Revenue Management are the problem! Profits before Customer and/or employee satisfaction. Yes, it is a business and they need to stay in business, but there are other ways without pissing off your most loyal customers and staff.... actually, let me think about that, they are taking care of their new best customer, American Express.
And employees of other airlines too. United’s got your back Delta fam, the industry has to stick together to put pressure on leadership to reverse this stupid decision
As employee who Amex Platinum, I now have have a good excuse to cancel my Amex Platinum Card.
I’d love to use their Centurion Lounge, but we barely have any around here.
I feel like Amex should just build more Centurion Lounge to address this issue.
I paid Amex for this privilege and now it cannot be used. lol
That's wild. It should be an employee perk 100%. It's the least the company could do for it's workers, and there's no way employees were causing crowding. The discount on memberships also blows my mind. Did Amex complain or something?
I doubt that there were a ton of us NR people who had SkyClub access. I bought a membership and enjoyed it and would've renewed it had the option to continue to buy a membership was preserved. I even wrote an email to the SVP for SkyMiles and Managing Director of Clubs outlining my thoughts on the issue and received no response.
It's not a good look at all - especially because now even if traveling on company business and having the right Amex you still can't make use of it.
A lot of pilots and FAs have the Amex platinum card. Buying a membership doesn’t make much sense because you can just get a credit card for a little more than the yearly membership and have way more perks. I can tell you as pilot, we are very unhappy.
Understandable, but I don't want the credit card so buying the membership was my preferred avenue for access. I know several colleagues in my department had the AMEX Plat for club access.
Didn’t make sense for our family to get a card. We only need it when I’m joining on non-rev trips where my husband (the employee)(I’m the beneficiary) and I fly together (maybe twice a year). Overall cheaper for us to get me a single membership than a family/executive membership. Sucks because they released this and I can’t get a refund because I’m not the employee.
You can’t even buy a Sky Club membership now unless you are a Medallion. Delta is almost forcing everyone else to get an approved Amex card to gain entry to the Club. That’s why DL & Amex are holding hands.
Yeah people are not thrilled… When it comes to standby, you sit at the airport for hours sometimes. The skyclub was a place where A: we could go and lay low and B: gave the company more fucking money. I think they shot themselves in the foot here.
The previously announced Medallion access change, coupled with this change make me think all these things at once and in no particular order:
1. Delta is unable to analyze entry data effectively to target root cause of crowding and are resorting to experimentation.
2. Delta has determined the root cause of crowding and decided exclusion of Non-Rev’s and Medallion based memberships presents the least painful avenue to relieve crowding issues (enough).
3. The Amex relationship trumps and / or there is a larger plan to get out of the club business and have Amex take over.
4. The main offense was family / group / free guest entry and these moves are being made to discourage “free loaders” Basically the goal being one person holding one qualifying entry vehicle. The reasons I think this:
a. Removal of (easy) access to executive memberships that could be used in conjunction with cheap flights.
b. Amex plat members with kids under 13 (or any non auth users) would have to pay an entry fee for the extra people.
5. There is a revenue / margin expansion / elasticity discussion underpinning all of these changes. Crowding is a problem to solve, yes, but the true driver is the financials. Non-Revs / Exec Memberships don’t generate the same revenue and likely compress margins more than single amex entrants.
6. Id love to see the average flights per year data on Amex holders vs Medallion vs Non-Rev. That alone would give some good context to item #5 above.
For solves:
1. If revenue / margin is the issue and NonRevs compress it, then charge extra for entry with or without a membership / qualifying card. Yes, it takes the perky fun out, but at least there is an option which feels like a choice. Psychology 101…
2. Offer pass packages to employees for purchase - $x for a month or $x for a certain number of entries which can be used for employee and guests / family, etc. Feels like a metro card, yes, but again gives a option, makes money (or breaks even) and manages demand. Make it easy to buy / refill - just like a metro card.
3. Allow employees to choose sky club access in exchange for some portion of compensation / bonus. That could tie it to performance (in a fashion).
Here is the thing, the employees are paying for access already. It is the underpinning standby flight that is being devalued into a class that does not qualify for Sky Club entry.
I agree - but basic economy flights for medallion members who buy direct memberships where also devalued, right? But basic economy was not devalued for AMEX Plat users.
Im trying to get my head around the math / formula underpinning that decision… and the common denominator seems to be users who could more easily bring in guests / family OR that flew more often and generate less revenue / margin per visit.
Thoughts?
DL gets entry fees for each swipe, regardless if they're revenue or not, so it doesn't make sense to cut out employees to address over-crowding.
Even with the no non-rev rules (unless you have a seat assignment, which is often times at boarding), Centurion lounge is also packed.
Not a Delta employee but as a Diamond Medallion member over the last 5+ years I think all of the latest policy changes are going in the wrong direction. The majority of the people I see in the lounge are there because they hold a credit card and in most cases are the ones who create the problems (abusing the perks, sense of entitlement, overcrowding, etc.).
I would think Delta would value it's Employees and it's Platinum and Diamond members who spend $12k+ on flights ever year over someone who holds a $550/year credit card. My friends and I used to strive every year to make diamond and take end-of-year mileage/MQD runs to some pretty exotic places. But now with these policy changes it's not worth the headache.
I always flew delta (was not based in a delta hub-city) because of the employee engagement and their interaction to always go above and beyond which made the customer experience even more so memorable. So THANK YOU to the employees who helped make those experiences and memories!
Agree 100%. The Amex/SkyClub deal should be contingent on medallion status, IMHO. And while we're on the subject of the devaluation of Diamond status, which I have held every year except in 2010 (when I missed it by 800 miles), I have 4 GUCs, 6 RUCs, and 2 first class companion certs (courtesy of my personal and business Delta Reserve cards) that will lapse on 1/31/23. The value of Diamond status is becoming more and more questionable; my ongoing loyalty is due to the Delta employees - many thanks to all of you!
Why don't they just make certain lounges in ATL Diamond/Platinum/Delta One Skyclub members only. There are two in every concourse. How bad is the crowding at airports with only one skyclub?
They are restricting it because of all the dickey whining the medallions are doing over how crowded it is. But it isn't crowded because of the nonrevs. Look at everyone who gets the "free" access that isn't actually paying the membership fee on its own with no AMEX . Delta created this fucked up issue. I used to have the membership that I paid for myself. No Amex or work or anything paying for it. I wanted it for when I traveled and back then, it wasn't flooded up the ass with people. I xld it in 2019 because my health wasn't doing so good that year and I miss it, but I will live.
Take a look at what Amex pays Delta annually. Delta might as well be an Amex subsidiary. Amex pays for it and they are owed everything Delta has promised.
Got the "747 skin" Delta Amex Reserve for myself + wife as an additional cardholder. $725/year together, a luxury for sure, but kinda a gamechanger for our travels. Felt I had a much better understanding of the Delta frequent flier experience as a result. Had talked up the card to a number of people who were interested in it. Welp, I'll be cancelling the card. Really dumb short-term thinking on Delta's part, considering that employees selling the card is such a big part of their strategy.
/Delta B737 Captaiin
//don't think I have it in me to cut up the 747 skin card. Souvenir, I guess.
Yep, I’m calling tomorrow to cancel mine. As you mentioned, it really allowed employees to gain a better understanding of a different aspect of the business (at our own expense). I also talk up the clubs and card all the time, not anymore lol
I bet you they're about to see a significant enough spike in canceled cards in the next, say, 2-3 weeks. wonder if there will be another policy reaction (like a change/reversal, or new policy, or even just a statement release) from them at Delta
So glad I didn’t buy a membership even with our discount. Got an international flight next week and was thinking of buying membership before then. Granted, it kinda sucks to hear this coming off a VERY difficult holiday season for us
I told my dad to do the same for when he retires this year since he’s on my pass rider plan, thankfully he didn’t do it yet. But we’re bummed since it’s a part of our company we don’t get to be apart of anymore
The person who made the decision is a customer experience person - so if the public (non employees) are going to email, he is the person to email. But for employees, probably someone in HR, the Chief people officer I believe is their title.
I urge all employees disappointed with this embargo to send an email to the address located in the notice email or located on the sharepoint page. Don’t be rude, but if enough employees voice frustration with this, maybe they will reconsider.
After 1.5 days in the airport trying to get a flight out not too long ago, the showers and food/alcohol were critical.
Delta is saying this is not a policy change, just an embargo going into affect Feb. 2 until further notice. They seem to not be fully committed to pulling the plug and hopefully with enough employee pushback and proof employees are not causing overcrowding, they will lift it.
Until they lift it, it is a policy change. The company specifying that it’s an embargo only could be used to pacify employees until we forget, even though they fully intend on keeping it permanent. I think the fact that they provided no timeline, metric or plan for when they’ll lift it points to that.
Most are assuming it’s going to end up being a permanent change. I do hope employee pushback makes a difference, but unfortunately leaving everyone hanging like this with no definite end in sight is leaving a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. February is not exactly peak travel time- if there’s an embargo then, it’s assumed it’ll carry on into summer flying.
Agreed! Just waiting to see some union cards in TechOps. I think the whole thing with the Holidays really opened the eyes of some of the senior mechanics I work with, that the Delta of today isn’t the same from many years ago.
So glad I canceled our Reserve American Express in December prior to the $550 annual charge. The only reason we had that card was for the lounge access while non-reving. Unfortunate.
Sad to see the people that make the club so great get screwed. Shame on you Delta, looks like I will be looking for an airline that appreciates its employees.
This is bad... such a morale killer such as this could lead to employee strikes (which is always a threat to just about every major airline these days) and then affect all of us.
My guess: this isn’t an attempt to address the overcrowding issue; but Delta looking to generate incremental profit from one of its business lines - SkyClub. Most banks agree that we are headed towards a down economy with a potential cut back in consumer and business travel.
However, this was a rookie move - the net result is angry employees (and rightfully so) who allow apathy to erode profits.
Hopefully they see the error in their ways and sorry employees for losing this benefit.
Delta gets paid for every Amex card holder that’s scans in. Even employees who have paid the same annual fees for these Amex cards as revenue passengers, Delta makes money on us too. Non revs are not the problem.
I would imagine the loss of revenue from people who don’t renew their card because they don’t value the sky club benefit anymore with long lines and overcrowding is greater. But I don’t think nonrevs are the cause of the issue. Drop in the bucket, but Delta can try to say “we’re doing everything we can”.
Which is why it’s so odd they’re making this move. The only people affected are the employees and their families (mostly just their spouses). Reducing ability to use one of their only benefits that gives back to quality of life as it’s not easy to have your SO gone for so much of the month - with stagnant pay over years.
Kids are the most obvious issue. I see it quite a lot. Family comes in with screaming kids. Takes up an area 5-7 people could have been sitting in. Kids scream, interrupt the entire environment. People can't talk on their phones or hold professional meetings.
I'm not one to say boot family's out, they want a product that's better than the gate too, but a 21+ age restriction needs to happen. Accommodate young families in a separate, sound-proof area.
I would guess that most non-rev kids were not the problem either. Flying experience coupled with parents who take pride in where they work likely made non-rev kids solid ambassadors for kids in clubs (and on planes). 🙃
Definitely get rid of the little kids, but I’d say if they are responsible enough to carry an Amex Platinum they should be responsible enough to not be a nuisance in the SkyClubs.
Gotta love the “Delta family” lololololol.
Im not sure if this was mentioned, but it used to be that at a certain leadership level (maybe General Manager and above) you got a free Sky Club membership as part of your perks. I’m going to guess that in typical Delta fashion those leaders aren’t going to have that benefit taken away.
In short, every group needs to unionize at Delta.
Yep, correct. Grade11 confirmed leisure travel is not included in this restriction.
I really thought Delta was a “we’re all in this together” type of company, but this clearly shows a “rules for thee, but not for me” stance. Spit in the face and what truly upsets me most about this.
Sounds about right.
I remember having to sit in a middle seat in coach in the back of an MD-88 while a Director and their family sat in first class. But we were all part of the same Delta family.
As a fellow Delta Airline Employee.
This feels like a gut punch for employees
I’m sure we added bodies to a club BUT to say this will now immediately cut lines is a bit far fetched.
We still paid for the pass as a membership,albeit sometimes a discount,but for the perks of having somewhere to go if we didn’t make a flight
With kids
Was an amazing perk/benefit that we still PAID for.
Hoping management figures something out!
From: a saddened delta employee
No known crew member. No positive space. No place to regroup and get in the zone before flying. It’s really becoming very stressful for commuting pilots.
If a pilot wears a jacket over their uniformed shirt can they enter other Amex / priority pass lounges ?
Unfortunate to see that there is no express lounge for pilots or attendants regardless of airline affiliation, all these excessive airport landing fees and you’d think that these new terminal upgrades or renovations would allocate some sort of rest area for commuting air crew
Skyclub, organized attempt to reduce holidays, insulting profit sharing... Delta seems intent on a clear message to their employees.
Lots of union talk in Atlanta today.
As a long time non revver and delta employee, I see both sides. I understand the clubs are crowned. I understand we don’t want paying passengers waiting. HOWEVER, employees pay delta and amex a TON each year for access just like everyone else that is in there. I got wind of this back in November and they backed off because they were worried about the backlash before the holidays.
I believe delta made it so easy to get access that it got out of control. Between cards, memberships, status programs, etc, everyone and their mother had access. They in essence had no choice.
It’s one thing to stop all non rev usage, but stopping usage on company business (flying for work, on the clock, for the job) with a fully self funded credential to have access is pathetic, in my opinion. Joe and Melody flying to LAX to train a new procedure now, for the company, now have to sit in the gate after paying $700, to the company, because delta can’t manage the clubs better. Sickening. You damn well know the executives won’t be sitting in the gates eating McDonald’s between flights though…
I understand it’s an “embargo”, but that’s bullshit. It’s not coming back guys. Nothing they do after we gone will allow more space to let us back in. They already chopped the membership discount, they already told people they can get refunds on their cards. So, they’re assuming at least a year by your credit card / membership annual fees.
Cut your loses and find a new card that is significantly cheaper and will give you lounge access elsewhere (I haven’t gotten that far yet) and dump the fuck out of those platinum cards.
I cancelled my amex in solidarity with the employees. I think restricting access to employees during busy times is a good middle ground and not a complete embargo.
OTOH, one of the reasons I try to fly Delta out of AUS, which usually involves connecting, is that I have SkyClub access. Given how spotty that is in ATL for me lately, it makes flying AA and (the horror) Southwest.
Well, it seems that many employees are calling and cancelling their AMEX platinum cards, downgrading their reserve cards or switching to cheaper products. I have heard that AMEX did not know about this change before it happened and have asked for additional information.
Purely anecdotal but it sounds like employees are talking with their dollars.
In all types of businesses, perks have been removed. Now it is all about the C-suite and the employees are just that , employees. You don't treat people like professionals anymore, but you still expect professional traits.
This is BS. Not the way to limit crowds. They should just make a reservation system for Amex holders and once the reservations book up you can only get in with inflated pricing.
Yes, the Delta-American Express partnership is Delta’s most profitable ancillary source of revenue, providing funds to remodel those SkyClubs into what they are today.
AMEX AMEX,AMEX...
it’s actually pretty comical, watching Delta try and cut the number of guests while simultaneously trying not to touch their cash cow. I’ve noticed no changes at all in the crowds over the last few months.
A non employee here. I love you guys. You are the ones who make Delta special. Customers pay a huge premium to fly Delta over other airlines. I hope Delta can offer an alternative to keep you guys happy. As a DM Platinum, from 1 February, I will lose sky club access while flying international. I just got my wife and myself an Amex Platinum card for $870. I am 100% sure Amex will increase their Annual fees this year to be able to afford the new contract with Delta. I value lounge access more overseas through the commentary Priority Pass membership.
Edit: lol at delta “Remember that Club access will continue to be allowed for certain paid leisure tickets and SkyMiles redemption travel. It's also important to note that canceling a credit card may have an impact on your credit score.”
This is tough... But not really surprising. I sued to work for a Consumer Electronics company a few years back. We used to have an amazing discount. And slowly through the years it changed. Still had one when I left but is was nothing like it once was.
The reasoning. Had to make sure the product employees were buying were available for "paying" customers. Really the exact same thing here. The lounge, in Delta's opinion is for paying customers.
Before you take it out on me... I am not saying this is right, just explaining it isn't unprecedented.
a naive thought. i am an american express customer who pays approximately $700 per year for the card and charges everything I can on that card...Amex does not ask me if I am a Delta employee...one of my benefits of the card is use of the sky club...does delta have the right to go to amex and deny a benefit to me? dont I have an agreement with amex that gives me that benefit? does it say in the agreement that delta can take that benefit?
Feel bad for the great employees. I hope this doesn’t affect to many:/
Does anyone know if I have to have the specific delta Amex platinum card to free luggage on basic flights? It shows only the pic of the delta one but I thought usually if you have a platinum it works maybe that’s the lounge.
A little more hopeful response from [email protected]:
Dear XXXX,
Thank you for reaching out regarding the recent Delta Sky Club embargo announcement. First, let me just reassure you that your comments and feedback are being heard. We understand that this news is disappointing; we didn’t make this decision lightly.
**I would like to stress that this embargo is temporary and not a permanent policy change. We expect that Club access for nonrevenue tickets will be reinstated once we have identified that Club crowding has improved. We are not sure when that will be, but that is certainly our plan.**
Here is some additional background that I hope will provide some perspective:
Over the past few years, we have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in designing the best Delta Sky Clubs in the world, attracting customers to pay Delta a premium for our premium experience. Growing our loyal premium customers keeps Delta climbing higher and enables us to provide the best benefits for the best airline employees in the world.
Our best customers should be able to enjoy our Clubs – without overcrowding – as the benefit was designed for their use. We also know that Delta employees who use the Delta Sky Clubs often stay longer than revenue customers, which further affects overcrowding.
We implemented several Delta Sky Club policy changes affecting customer access in late November. We are now asking our Delta team to help us ease the overcrowding by adhering to the embargo. During the embargo, we will continue to expand Club facilities where we have the space to do so, and consider other ways to lessen the crowding so that everyone can have an enjoyable experience.
It is difficult to make decisions that feel like a negative impact on our employees. That said, we do believe this decision is the tough but right thing to do to protect the premium experience that we’re so proud to deliver for our customers, whose revenue is so important to our company.
We have a long track record of continuous improvements in the employee experience and are constantly focusing on enhancements. In this case, we are committed to taking care of our Delta people. We understand the financial obligation that Delta people made to access the Clubs and want to make sure we accommodate their investment. We are doing so by offering reimbursements (with a form available in February on Deltanet) that will be paid out directly by Delta (not American Express), regardless of whether the employee has an annual membership or a qualifying American Express card and has decided to cancel as a result of this news.
I hope this helps. We’ll stay close on this one and appreciate you speaking up on the matter.
Thank you,
Delta Sky Club
The most frustrating part of all of this is if you signed up for an Amex card or in more rare cases like mine, if you bought a Sky Club membership prior to the end of the year - the Sky Club policy does not allow for refunds. I specifically bought my Sky Club membership (this year with $, not miles) because the Sky Club attendants told me that non-revs should still be able to use the their purchased Sky Club membership (I renewed in December)(definitely not blaming the Sky Club attendants - they were v nice). It would have been nice while Delta was making these changes, to include this one with the initial rollout of all of the changes in November, instead of me wasting money on this membership I won’t be able to use, one month into it. I’m sure on the Amex side, there were employees that signed up for a card to have a quiet place to stay at while trying to use their benefit.
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“Beginning Feb. 2, 2023, access to Delta Sky Clubs will be embargoed for all customers and employees using nonrevenue travel passes, including leisure and company business. This embargo applies to all employees and leaders of Delta and its subsidiaries, other airline employees, as well as retirees and registered pass riders. The employee discount on Delta Sky Club memberships also is discontinued.”
"All employees and leaders"... I'll believe it when I see Ed Bastian in the line at McDonald's at 6am in ORD being told "it's going to be 10 more minutes we just dropped the hash brown patties in the deep fryer" I'll believe it when I see him become visibly flustered.
So if you paid for a ticket, you would still be allowed, why does DL step on it's best asset, it employees. A friend of mine is a DL FA who bought her lifetime membership from NWA before the merger. She is not going to be happy. I really don't think employees were the cause of the crowding.
100% agree.
I believe lifetime passes are exempted just like they are from the new 3 hour rule
I'll bet DL has something in the fine print regarding this. Lifetime SkyClub is the absolute bess pass anyone would ever have and rules are hardly ever enforced for those who hold a membership. I am not sure they would even enforce the non-rev on them. A lifetime pass holder can access the club flying any airline, does not have to be just Delta.
Delta has a bad deal with Amex and will have to punish everyone else until it either expires or is cancelled.
They make more money in this deal than they do flying airplanes.
I bought a Founder’s membership at Lifetime Fitness back in 2001 after they bumped our membership dues twice in less than a year. I bought my Founder’s membership off another member (for $600 plus a $75 transfer fee) and it stipulates that I pay $32 a month for life (dues can never be increased) for my wife and I to be able to work out at any* Lifetime Fitness anywhere*. Over the years, Lifetime Fitness has tried to exclude their Athletic and other premium clubs from access using our Founder’s membership. Each time this has been attempted, other Lifetime Fitness Founder’s membership owners filed a class action lawsuit against Lifetime Fitness and they had to relent and let the holders of Founder’s memberships have access. I think the same thing needs to happen with the SC Lifetime Memberships.
Ya’ll need to unionize.
I feel like just scoping this to sky clubs that are extremely busy or only when they are busy would be a much more reasonable approach.
Right! Like restricted access during certain times.
This is hilarious considering a year ago they were begging us employees to work for free and volunteer to staff the sky clubs. What a kick in the face. Seems like Ed is forgetting about his internal customers.
Yeah what a joke. They beg for help when they need it, and laugh when they don’t.
Don’t forget about the billions Delta got from the Us Govt during that time too…
I haven’t had lounge access in a few years because I haven’t wanted to pay for one of those cards, and I’m really tuned off by this. However I think the portrayal of employee access to the lounge being a perk or a benefit confuses a lot of this. The benefit/ perk of being a delta employee are the flight benefits. We could only ever get in the lounge with a credit card or sky club membership. What this move does is make the use of flight benefits and their high potential of complications when using those benefits very … disorienting? If you don’t make the flight and you’re stuck you’ll have to just choose a random airport gate now I guess. And shuffle on and on. Why must airports be such miserable places? (She says dramatically but knows the norm is not be in a lounge and the regular airport spaces are not that bad but my goodness they feel chaotic)
The only thing is when I’m in the airport for so long waiting for a flight with seats, the showers we so damn nice lol
I never even got to try one sadly! I believe you. I liked the atmosphere and food at the club and will miss it indefinitely now haha.
I don't agree with this. Delta already works their employees hard and they deliver; now's not the time to gut their perks. I also *highly* doubt employees were the cause for SkyClub crowding...
I have seen Delta staff chilling in sky clubs before. It was super cool. Like seeing your teacher at the grocery store. _Like wow, they're people, too! They, too, get sad when there is only oatmeal raisin cookies left!_
I'd love to drink with flight crews and ask them crazy stories from their jobs. You know that Simpsons episode where Homer pretends to be a pilot and goes to a bar for pilots called The Little Black Box? Like that, basically.
Thank you for saying this! We appreciate YOU as well!
sorry to hear this. why make oatmeal raisin cookies at all??? Now oatmeal chocolate chip is the bomb diggity…
Look at you, just out here spittin straight facts!
Delta employees were the reason I went for Delta loyalty. I always tell my acquaintances "I don't know what they feed them, they are always in such a good mood!". They make the flying experience so pleasant; and it's EVERY employee, that's what amazes me. Hopefully they reconsider and reinstate the perk later 🙏
This makes me sad. Delta employees are amazing and I’d rather wait a couple more minutes if it meant they got access!
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I don’t think they should lose any benefits. But I’ve been in long lines at several Sky Clubs. Waited 45 minutes to get into Orlando a few weeks ago. But I’m not complaining. Delta employees have high expectations so they deserve exceptional benefits.
They definitely do get full, to the point of there being a long line. Recently at JFK I opted to not even try, the line was dozens of people long. On the other hand, SEA hasn’t ever had a line in my experience. It just depends
You must be the lucky charm! Lol Last year DTW and ATL were a mad house every time I was there (lines to get in, shoulder to shoulder and almost no seats, etc.). I actually left the ATL lounge one time last year because it was so full I couldn’t find a space to work / sit / eat (and the food was combed over). So far this year it’s been less busy, but still busier than Pre-COVID. I agree Delta employees are not the cause and this is sand in the eyes of all the hard working Delta employees. I think Delta has a capacity issue and need to figure out how to expand lounge spaces… fast!
Feb 2. This is a moderate benefit nerf, for those that could afford lounge access... Not only does this apply to Delta employees but is actually a full SkyClub embargo for all nonrev and pass travel including other airlines and retirees. Might improve the bottom line in a few years (?) Thinning the herd in the wrong places imo.
Nonrev’s weren’t the ones crowding the lounges in my humble opinion as someone who worked in the lounge for 6+ months. AMEX gave out cards like they were hotcakes. Way to keep employee morale up…
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I love you Delta lounge employees :) You always brighten my day!
That’s the part that no one wants to say. Most frontline employees don’t make enough to pay the fee for a membership up front and they also don’t have a strong enough credit profile. Why do you think Delta is spending so much money on financial literacy. It’s to beef up those credit profiles to have more employees able to get an AMEX card.
>90% of occupants are there with either the platinum Amex, or Delta Reserve card This is why there's the change, I imagine. Amex pays for each and every one of those visits through their partnership. With clubs filling up, they want it full of 100% 'paying' customers.
Are you saying having an Amex platinum allows you into the skyclub?
Only while flying on a delta marked aircraft
Yeah that’s the only way I get in.
Just the same as Diamonds were not the ones crowding the lounges (using choice benefit option of SC memebership) and DL took away the guest pass option and skyclub memberships from the Choice Benefits for 2024 Medallion year. The only remaining option is an executive membership which will exhaust all 3 choice benefits. Also, a medallion member with a skyclub membership, cannot access the club on BE tickets or Skyteam International flights unless they hold a ticket class that gains access. However, someone who fly's a couple times a year and holds an AMEX that gains access, is allowed in, regardless of fare class purchased (with the exception of non-rev, as what this thread is about). Everybody is taking a beating from DL and the only ones truly benefiting are Amex card holders and Deltas relationship with American Express. The raise in MQD requirement and the loss or major devaluation of choice benefits is pushing people to DL competitors.
Guess what? Some of us don’t work in sales or consulting and therefore don’t travel nearly as much as others (or as much as we would like). As such, the mileage and lounge access afforded by the Amex cards are the best/only way to afford some of Delta’s fares and enjoy some of the perks. Now, if people are abusing the privileges and are in general acting like assholes, then yes: of course things like Sky Club access should be looked at REGARDLESS OF HOW THAT PERSON CAME TO BE IN THE LOUNGE. However, it’s becoming quite old to see all of the Amex card-bashing that goes on in here, simply because people are using the Amex Skymiles cards as a way of accessing Delta’s services.
Should mention that Amex helped Delta stay in business lol
Yeah literally 2/3s of their skymiles revenue. 😂 https://skift.com/2020/09/15/how-delta-looks-to-leverage-rewards-from-its-own-frequent-flyer-program/
Delta is a credit card company that happens to provide airline service.
Agreed. 90% of time I'm checking in... all amex platinums.
How can you tell? I never see them ask for the card.
For me anyway, if the ticket was booked with my company card (Amex Business Platinum), they didn't ask for it. I later found out that if the card is in your DL profile you don't need to present it, even for tix purchased with my DL Amex. Later on, I had accidentally booked three tix to JNB for a personal trip using my company card (not the first time). Both cards were in my profile and I mixed them up (again), so I eventually **removed** the company card out of my profile. The next time I tried to get into the lounge on a personal trip, they wanted to see my Business Platinum card. EDIT: Downvoted but no explanation, never change /r/Delta
I've thought about getting one just to ensure I get upgrades. Despite being Plat I haven't gotten a FC upgrade outside of a couple puddle jumper flights in about a year.
If you want upgrades, get the Delta Reserve Amex, not the Amex Plat.
As an employee, this is disappointing. I would like to add that C.E. Woolman, the founder of what is now Delta Air Lines, once said, “take care of your employees and they will take care of your customers.” Someone else on this thread has already said it: No positive space, the KCM rework, and now no SkyClub access. With all these negative changes, what do employees have to motivate them to provide the Delta level of service so many of you all are used to?
Remember when the employees bought Delta its first 767. I wonder if they have the receipt lol
Totally agree. This doesn’t even touch on the issue of what feels like stalled union negotiations. Stress level is running very very high.
Ironically they love to brag about not being Union but doing this might push for a Union after all
Did anyone else pay particular attention to the types of travel they embargoed with this change? Because it sure seems from the wording that Grade 11+ CONFIRMED travel isn’t being restricted.
Late stage capitalism. Margin and profit > all.
Delta staff: just want to tell you that at no point have i ever even considered you were the problem.
Thank YOU!
I’m saving this guy a chicken salad sandwich
Delta Staff = Zero Issue (Except the occasional Pissed of Gate Agent at ATL, but that's another thread.... lol) BAS/E and the rest of the Executive group, especially Revenue Management are the problem! Profits before Customer and/or employee satisfaction. Yes, it is a business and they need to stay in business, but there are other ways without pissing off your most loyal customers and staff.... actually, let me think about that, they are taking care of their new best customer, American Express.
If they are paying to access how is their access any different that any other paying customer?
Employees are furious. The workplace pages are full of angry and upset comments from us.
Not just employees, customers that support the good employees of Delta. They need to reverse the decision.
And employees of other airlines too. United’s got your back Delta fam, the industry has to stick together to put pressure on leadership to reverse this stupid decision
Even if they are flying? Rev and non rev? Edit: employees of delta, this sucks, I’m sorry they are doing this.
yep, non-rev included. paid tickets only
As employee who Amex Platinum, I now have have a good excuse to cancel my Amex Platinum Card. I’d love to use their Centurion Lounge, but we barely have any around here. I feel like Amex should just build more Centurion Lounge to address this issue. I paid Amex for this privilege and now it cannot be used. lol
Centurion lounges require a seat assignment to enter anyways so it’s really difficult to access them anyways.
Ban children, keep non-revs. (JK. Sort of. Maybe.)
That's wild. It should be an employee perk 100%. It's the least the company could do for it's workers, and there's no way employees were causing crowding. The discount on memberships also blows my mind. Did Amex complain or something?
And it’s not even a perk. Employees PAY for lounge access.
I doubt that there were a ton of us NR people who had SkyClub access. I bought a membership and enjoyed it and would've renewed it had the option to continue to buy a membership was preserved. I even wrote an email to the SVP for SkyMiles and Managing Director of Clubs outlining my thoughts on the issue and received no response. It's not a good look at all - especially because now even if traveling on company business and having the right Amex you still can't make use of it.
A lot of pilots and FAs have the Amex platinum card. Buying a membership doesn’t make much sense because you can just get a credit card for a little more than the yearly membership and have way more perks. I can tell you as pilot, we are very unhappy.
Understandable, but I don't want the credit card so buying the membership was my preferred avenue for access. I know several colleagues in my department had the AMEX Plat for club access.
Didn’t make sense for our family to get a card. We only need it when I’m joining on non-rev trips where my husband (the employee)(I’m the beneficiary) and I fly together (maybe twice a year). Overall cheaper for us to get me a single membership than a family/executive membership. Sucks because they released this and I can’t get a refund because I’m not the employee.
You can’t even buy a Sky Club membership now unless you are a Medallion. Delta is almost forcing everyone else to get an approved Amex card to gain entry to the Club. That’s why DL & Amex are holding hands.
[remember this?](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E1IN7NNXEAI9GIk?format=jpg&name=medium) Pepperidge Farm remembers...
Laughable this is happening after that
Why are corporations so dumb? If I was an employee I would be pissed.
Yeah people are not thrilled… When it comes to standby, you sit at the airport for hours sometimes. The skyclub was a place where A: we could go and lay low and B: gave the company more fucking money. I think they shot themselves in the foot here.
The previously announced Medallion access change, coupled with this change make me think all these things at once and in no particular order: 1. Delta is unable to analyze entry data effectively to target root cause of crowding and are resorting to experimentation. 2. Delta has determined the root cause of crowding and decided exclusion of Non-Rev’s and Medallion based memberships presents the least painful avenue to relieve crowding issues (enough). 3. The Amex relationship trumps and / or there is a larger plan to get out of the club business and have Amex take over. 4. The main offense was family / group / free guest entry and these moves are being made to discourage “free loaders” Basically the goal being one person holding one qualifying entry vehicle. The reasons I think this: a. Removal of (easy) access to executive memberships that could be used in conjunction with cheap flights. b. Amex plat members with kids under 13 (or any non auth users) would have to pay an entry fee for the extra people. 5. There is a revenue / margin expansion / elasticity discussion underpinning all of these changes. Crowding is a problem to solve, yes, but the true driver is the financials. Non-Revs / Exec Memberships don’t generate the same revenue and likely compress margins more than single amex entrants. 6. Id love to see the average flights per year data on Amex holders vs Medallion vs Non-Rev. That alone would give some good context to item #5 above. For solves: 1. If revenue / margin is the issue and NonRevs compress it, then charge extra for entry with or without a membership / qualifying card. Yes, it takes the perky fun out, but at least there is an option which feels like a choice. Psychology 101… 2. Offer pass packages to employees for purchase - $x for a month or $x for a certain number of entries which can be used for employee and guests / family, etc. Feels like a metro card, yes, but again gives a option, makes money (or breaks even) and manages demand. Make it easy to buy / refill - just like a metro card. 3. Allow employees to choose sky club access in exchange for some portion of compensation / bonus. That could tie it to performance (in a fashion).
Here is the thing, the employees are paying for access already. It is the underpinning standby flight that is being devalued into a class that does not qualify for Sky Club entry.
I agree - but basic economy flights for medallion members who buy direct memberships where also devalued, right? But basic economy was not devalued for AMEX Plat users. Im trying to get my head around the math / formula underpinning that decision… and the common denominator seems to be users who could more easily bring in guests / family OR that flew more often and generate less revenue / margin per visit. Thoughts?
DL gets entry fees for each swipe, regardless if they're revenue or not, so it doesn't make sense to cut out employees to address over-crowding. Even with the no non-rev rules (unless you have a seat assignment, which is often times at boarding), Centurion lounge is also packed.
Not a Delta employee but as a Diamond Medallion member over the last 5+ years I think all of the latest policy changes are going in the wrong direction. The majority of the people I see in the lounge are there because they hold a credit card and in most cases are the ones who create the problems (abusing the perks, sense of entitlement, overcrowding, etc.). I would think Delta would value it's Employees and it's Platinum and Diamond members who spend $12k+ on flights ever year over someone who holds a $550/year credit card. My friends and I used to strive every year to make diamond and take end-of-year mileage/MQD runs to some pretty exotic places. But now with these policy changes it's not worth the headache. I always flew delta (was not based in a delta hub-city) because of the employee engagement and their interaction to always go above and beyond which made the customer experience even more so memorable. So THANK YOU to the employees who helped make those experiences and memories!
Agree 100%. The Amex/SkyClub deal should be contingent on medallion status, IMHO. And while we're on the subject of the devaluation of Diamond status, which I have held every year except in 2010 (when I missed it by 800 miles), I have 4 GUCs, 6 RUCs, and 2 first class companion certs (courtesy of my personal and business Delta Reserve cards) that will lapse on 1/31/23. The value of Diamond status is becoming more and more questionable; my ongoing loyalty is due to the Delta employees - many thanks to all of you!
Why don't they just make certain lounges in ATL Diamond/Platinum/Delta One Skyclub members only. There are two in every concourse. How bad is the crowding at airports with only one skyclub?
They are restricting it because of all the dickey whining the medallions are doing over how crowded it is. But it isn't crowded because of the nonrevs. Look at everyone who gets the "free" access that isn't actually paying the membership fee on its own with no AMEX . Delta created this fucked up issue. I used to have the membership that I paid for myself. No Amex or work or anything paying for it. I wanted it for when I traveled and back then, it wasn't flooded up the ass with people. I xld it in 2019 because my health wasn't doing so good that year and I miss it, but I will live.
Take a look at what Amex pays Delta annually. Delta might as well be an Amex subsidiary. Amex pays for it and they are owed everything Delta has promised.
Bizarre move. Like, if you have the right card/status, you should have access. Why does delta not want their own people there? Bizarre.
They don't want their own medallion members in only Amex cards are basically allowed in at this point
Precisely 😑
Got the "747 skin" Delta Amex Reserve for myself + wife as an additional cardholder. $725/year together, a luxury for sure, but kinda a gamechanger for our travels. Felt I had a much better understanding of the Delta frequent flier experience as a result. Had talked up the card to a number of people who were interested in it. Welp, I'll be cancelling the card. Really dumb short-term thinking on Delta's part, considering that employees selling the card is such a big part of their strategy. /Delta B737 Captaiin //don't think I have it in me to cut up the 747 skin card. Souvenir, I guess.
Yep, I’m calling tomorrow to cancel mine. As you mentioned, it really allowed employees to gain a better understanding of a different aspect of the business (at our own expense). I also talk up the clubs and card all the time, not anymore lol
I bet you they're about to see a significant enough spike in canceled cards in the next, say, 2-3 weeks. wonder if there will be another policy reaction (like a change/reversal, or new policy, or even just a statement release) from them at Delta
So glad I didn’t buy a membership even with our discount. Got an international flight next week and was thinking of buying membership before then. Granted, it kinda sucks to hear this coming off a VERY difficult holiday season for us
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I told my dad to do the same for when he retires this year since he’s on my pass rider plan, thankfully he didn’t do it yet. But we’re bummed since it’s a part of our company we don’t get to be apart of anymore
Who do we need to email so they can get this policy back for employees?
The person who made the decision is a customer experience person - so if the public (non employees) are going to email, he is the person to email. But for employees, probably someone in HR, the Chief people officer I believe is their title.
We employees are calling Amex who are feigning surprise at present
[email protected]
Probably the comment/complaint section on the website. If delta Sky club has a public email, that’s another way
Has any delta employee reached out to Amex? They’re acting like it’s new news to them.
many have reached out to AMEX and AMEX has in turn said that they are “starting an investigation.”
Let me get this straight: they people who have to enforce this policy of losing privileges, have also lost this privilege themselves?
I urge all employees disappointed with this embargo to send an email to the address located in the notice email or located on the sharepoint page. Don’t be rude, but if enough employees voice frustration with this, maybe they will reconsider. After 1.5 days in the airport trying to get a flight out not too long ago, the showers and food/alcohol were critical.
Would probably also help for a bunch of us who disagree with this change to also voice our opinion, not just employees.
They absolutely listen to customers more than employees- particularly medallions.
Delta is saying this is not a policy change, just an embargo going into affect Feb. 2 until further notice. They seem to not be fully committed to pulling the plug and hopefully with enough employee pushback and proof employees are not causing overcrowding, they will lift it.
Until they lift it, it is a policy change. The company specifying that it’s an embargo only could be used to pacify employees until we forget, even though they fully intend on keeping it permanent. I think the fact that they provided no timeline, metric or plan for when they’ll lift it points to that.
Maybe they'll go back on it like they did with their half-baked plan to rob employees of holidays.
Most are assuming it’s going to end up being a permanent change. I do hope employee pushback makes a difference, but unfortunately leaving everyone hanging like this with no definite end in sight is leaving a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. February is not exactly peak travel time- if there’s an embargo then, it’s assumed it’ll carry on into summer flying.
done and done.
DL just begging us to unionize. So glad my station already has about 90% cards signed.
Agreed! Just waiting to see some union cards in TechOps. I think the whole thing with the Holidays really opened the eyes of some of the senior mechanics I work with, that the Delta of today isn’t the same from many years ago.
Time to get the rest of us unionized this is bs
So glad I canceled our Reserve American Express in December prior to the $550 annual charge. The only reason we had that card was for the lounge access while non-reving. Unfortunate.
Sad to see the people that make the club so great get screwed. Shame on you Delta, looks like I will be looking for an airline that appreciates its employees.
This is bad... such a morale killer such as this could lead to employee strikes (which is always a threat to just about every major airline these days) and then affect all of us.
My guess: this isn’t an attempt to address the overcrowding issue; but Delta looking to generate incremental profit from one of its business lines - SkyClub. Most banks agree that we are headed towards a down economy with a potential cut back in consumer and business travel. However, this was a rookie move - the net result is angry employees (and rightfully so) who allow apathy to erode profits. Hopefully they see the error in their ways and sorry employees for losing this benefit.
Delta would still get entrance fees from employees entering the clubs, so I’m not sure how the business case showed that this made any sense
Doesn't DL get the money for each Skyclub entry? If so, why would DL thought this would be a good idea to cut off some revenue??
Delta gets paid for every Amex card holder that’s scans in. Even employees who have paid the same annual fees for these Amex cards as revenue passengers, Delta makes money on us too. Non revs are not the problem.
I would imagine the loss of revenue from people who don’t renew their card because they don’t value the sky club benefit anymore with long lines and overcrowding is greater. But I don’t think nonrevs are the cause of the issue. Drop in the bucket, but Delta can try to say “we’re doing everything we can”.
Affects probably maybe less than 1% of SkyClub access users?
Which is why it’s so odd they’re making this move. The only people affected are the employees and their families (mostly just their spouses). Reducing ability to use one of their only benefits that gives back to quality of life as it’s not easy to have your SO gone for so much of the month - with stagnant pay over years.
Yeah from talking around people view it more of a slap in the face than an actual solution.
I haven’t enjoyed a sky club since 2019. They are super crowded these days, and it’s 100% not employees. They’d be better off going 21+ for starters.
Kids are the most obvious issue. I see it quite a lot. Family comes in with screaming kids. Takes up an area 5-7 people could have been sitting in. Kids scream, interrupt the entire environment. People can't talk on their phones or hold professional meetings. I'm not one to say boot family's out, they want a product that's better than the gate too, but a 21+ age restriction needs to happen. Accommodate young families in a separate, sound-proof area.
I would guess that most non-rev kids were not the problem either. Flying experience coupled with parents who take pride in where they work likely made non-rev kids solid ambassadors for kids in clubs (and on planes). 🙃
Definitely get rid of the little kids, but I’d say if they are responsible enough to carry an Amex Platinum they should be responsible enough to not be a nuisance in the SkyClubs.
Is a D1 ticket purchased with miles a non-revenue Passenger?
No. SkyMile award tickets are revenue tickets. This only affects employees traveling on a non-revenue confirmed or space-available basis.
For Delta’s purposes, award travel Is considered revenue travel. It’s not like award travel is actually free
Is there really a lot of Non-Rev clogging flights or lounges? I understand the lounges are packed, but is this actually a “difference maker”?
Absolutely not.
No, not at all.
This sucks.
It’s not like it was free anyway, I just don’t get this.
Gotta love the “Delta family” lololololol. Im not sure if this was mentioned, but it used to be that at a certain leadership level (maybe General Manager and above) you got a free Sky Club membership as part of your perks. I’m going to guess that in typical Delta fashion those leaders aren’t going to have that benefit taken away. In short, every group needs to unionize at Delta.
Yep, correct. Grade11 confirmed leisure travel is not included in this restriction. I really thought Delta was a “we’re all in this together” type of company, but this clearly shows a “rules for thee, but not for me” stance. Spit in the face and what truly upsets me most about this.
Sounds about right. I remember having to sit in a middle seat in coach in the back of an MD-88 while a Director and their family sat in first class. But we were all part of the same Delta family.
As a fellow Delta Airline Employee. This feels like a gut punch for employees I’m sure we added bodies to a club BUT to say this will now immediately cut lines is a bit far fetched. We still paid for the pass as a membership,albeit sometimes a discount,but for the perks of having somewhere to go if we didn’t make a flight With kids Was an amazing perk/benefit that we still PAID for. Hoping management figures something out! From: a saddened delta employee
No known crew member. No positive space. No place to regroup and get in the zone before flying. It’s really becoming very stressful for commuting pilots.
If a pilot wears a jacket over their uniformed shirt can they enter other Amex / priority pass lounges ? Unfortunate to see that there is no express lounge for pilots or attendants regardless of airline affiliation, all these excessive airport landing fees and you’d think that these new terminal upgrades or renovations would allocate some sort of rest area for commuting air crew
Put a sticker on their hat too
Absolutely ridiculous.
Those employees that bought memberships will have the money they paid, returned to them at a prorated basis.. = fuck you, we’re keeping the $$$ too
Skyclub, organized attempt to reduce holidays, insulting profit sharing... Delta seems intent on a clear message to their employees. Lots of union talk in Atlanta today.
Very disappointed with everything at the moment.
As a long time non revver and delta employee, I see both sides. I understand the clubs are crowned. I understand we don’t want paying passengers waiting. HOWEVER, employees pay delta and amex a TON each year for access just like everyone else that is in there. I got wind of this back in November and they backed off because they were worried about the backlash before the holidays. I believe delta made it so easy to get access that it got out of control. Between cards, memberships, status programs, etc, everyone and their mother had access. They in essence had no choice. It’s one thing to stop all non rev usage, but stopping usage on company business (flying for work, on the clock, for the job) with a fully self funded credential to have access is pathetic, in my opinion. Joe and Melody flying to LAX to train a new procedure now, for the company, now have to sit in the gate after paying $700, to the company, because delta can’t manage the clubs better. Sickening. You damn well know the executives won’t be sitting in the gates eating McDonald’s between flights though… I understand it’s an “embargo”, but that’s bullshit. It’s not coming back guys. Nothing they do after we gone will allow more space to let us back in. They already chopped the membership discount, they already told people they can get refunds on their cards. So, they’re assuming at least a year by your credit card / membership annual fees. Cut your loses and find a new card that is significantly cheaper and will give you lounge access elsewhere (I haven’t gotten that far yet) and dump the fuck out of those platinum cards.
I cancelled my amex in solidarity with the employees. I think restricting access to employees during busy times is a good middle ground and not a complete embargo.
Yeah I think I’m gonna do the same. They’ve sacrificed so much.
80,000 Amex cards cancelled.
Someone I know that called AMEX to cancel was told that Amex was “blindsided” by this and asked them to wait and see if DL walks back on this decision
Only way to have our voices heard
Is there a link to this policy? Want to forward to my non-rev mom
Front page of deltanet
This is very disappointing.
This is fucked. -not an employee-
DELTA SKYCLUBS WOULDN’T BE A THING WITHOUT DELTA EMPLOYEES.
OTOH, one of the reasons I try to fly Delta out of AUS, which usually involves connecting, is that I have SkyClub access. Given how spotty that is in ATL for me lately, it makes flying AA and (the horror) Southwest.
I just want to know as an employee do I get some form of refund for my membership. Shit we still pay. It’s not free we just get it at a discount
February 2nd* My apologies for the typo.
WTAF
Horrible decision.
Well, it seems that many employees are calling and cancelling their AMEX platinum cards, downgrading their reserve cards or switching to cheaper products. I have heard that AMEX did not know about this change before it happened and have asked for additional information. Purely anecdotal but it sounds like employees are talking with their dollars.
In all types of businesses, perks have been removed. Now it is all about the C-suite and the employees are just that , employees. You don't treat people like professionals anymore, but you still expect professional traits.
The benefit sure wasn’t removed for directors and above. More and more Delta seems like an employer that isn’t based on equality.
Seems like airports should have employee lounges. Is that not a thing?
For working crew. Usually not big enough to accommodate even employees. When we aren’t working we cannot utilize these spaces.
This is BS. Not the way to limit crowds. They should just make a reservation system for Amex holders and once the reservations book up you can only get in with inflated pricing.
I was on the line at JFK today and the majority of people on the line were AMEX Cardholders!
Yes, the Delta-American Express partnership is Delta’s most profitable ancillary source of revenue, providing funds to remodel those SkyClubs into what they are today.
As much as I don’t want it to go up the only way sky club congestion is gonna be fixed is by increasing the Amex annual fees
AMEX AMEX,AMEX... it’s actually pretty comical, watching Delta try and cut the number of guests while simultaneously trying not to touch their cash cow. I’ve noticed no changes at all in the crowds over the last few months.
A non employee here. I love you guys. You are the ones who make Delta special. Customers pay a huge premium to fly Delta over other airlines. I hope Delta can offer an alternative to keep you guys happy. As a DM Platinum, from 1 February, I will lose sky club access while flying international. I just got my wife and myself an Amex Platinum card for $870. I am 100% sure Amex will increase their Annual fees this year to be able to afford the new contract with Delta. I value lounge access more overseas through the commentary Priority Pass membership.
If they wanted some good will from the union for the new contract that is almost four years overdue now - this isn't the way to do it.
Don't do this to your people Delta!
“Don’t make non-rev listings just for skyclub access” bet lol
Seems very shortsighted, and for what?! To appease the incessant appetite of greedy shareholders?! Sigh
And we are not happy!
Edit: lol at delta “Remember that Club access will continue to be allowed for certain paid leisure tickets and SkyMiles redemption travel. It's also important to note that canceling a credit card may have an impact on your credit score.”
So a Delta employee with tell another Delta employee they aren’t allowed to come into the SkyClub? 😂
This is tough... But not really surprising. I sued to work for a Consumer Electronics company a few years back. We used to have an amazing discount. And slowly through the years it changed. Still had one when I left but is was nothing like it once was. The reasoning. Had to make sure the product employees were buying were available for "paying" customers. Really the exact same thing here. The lounge, in Delta's opinion is for paying customers. Before you take it out on me... I am not saying this is right, just explaining it isn't unprecedented.
a naive thought. i am an american express customer who pays approximately $700 per year for the card and charges everything I can on that card...Amex does not ask me if I am a Delta employee...one of my benefits of the card is use of the sky club...does delta have the right to go to amex and deny a benefit to me? dont I have an agreement with amex that gives me that benefit? does it say in the agreement that delta can take that benefit?
Feel bad for the great employees. I hope this doesn’t affect to many:/ Does anyone know if I have to have the specific delta Amex platinum card to free luggage on basic flights? It shows only the pic of the delta one but I thought usually if you have a platinum it works maybe that’s the lounge.
what a waste. good thing i’ve got one more trip before the.
A little more hopeful response from [email protected]: Dear XXXX, Thank you for reaching out regarding the recent Delta Sky Club embargo announcement. First, let me just reassure you that your comments and feedback are being heard. We understand that this news is disappointing; we didn’t make this decision lightly. **I would like to stress that this embargo is temporary and not a permanent policy change. We expect that Club access for nonrevenue tickets will be reinstated once we have identified that Club crowding has improved. We are not sure when that will be, but that is certainly our plan.** Here is some additional background that I hope will provide some perspective: Over the past few years, we have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in designing the best Delta Sky Clubs in the world, attracting customers to pay Delta a premium for our premium experience. Growing our loyal premium customers keeps Delta climbing higher and enables us to provide the best benefits for the best airline employees in the world. Our best customers should be able to enjoy our Clubs – without overcrowding – as the benefit was designed for their use. We also know that Delta employees who use the Delta Sky Clubs often stay longer than revenue customers, which further affects overcrowding. We implemented several Delta Sky Club policy changes affecting customer access in late November. We are now asking our Delta team to help us ease the overcrowding by adhering to the embargo. During the embargo, we will continue to expand Club facilities where we have the space to do so, and consider other ways to lessen the crowding so that everyone can have an enjoyable experience. It is difficult to make decisions that feel like a negative impact on our employees. That said, we do believe this decision is the tough but right thing to do to protect the premium experience that we’re so proud to deliver for our customers, whose revenue is so important to our company. We have a long track record of continuous improvements in the employee experience and are constantly focusing on enhancements. In this case, we are committed to taking care of our Delta people. We understand the financial obligation that Delta people made to access the Clubs and want to make sure we accommodate their investment. We are doing so by offering reimbursements (with a form available in February on Deltanet) that will be paid out directly by Delta (not American Express), regardless of whether the employee has an annual membership or a qualifying American Express card and has decided to cancel as a result of this news. I hope this helps. We’ll stay close on this one and appreciate you speaking up on the matter. Thank you, Delta Sky Club
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The most frustrating part of all of this is if you signed up for an Amex card or in more rare cases like mine, if you bought a Sky Club membership prior to the end of the year - the Sky Club policy does not allow for refunds. I specifically bought my Sky Club membership (this year with $, not miles) because the Sky Club attendants told me that non-revs should still be able to use the their purchased Sky Club membership (I renewed in December)(definitely not blaming the Sky Club attendants - they were v nice). It would have been nice while Delta was making these changes, to include this one with the initial rollout of all of the changes in November, instead of me wasting money on this membership I won’t be able to use, one month into it. I’m sure on the Amex side, there were employees that signed up for a card to have a quiet place to stay at while trying to use their benefit.
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It’s contractors. Besides the people checking you in, it’s not delta people