Delta Airlines plans to limit worker access to luxury and popular airport lounges next month in its latest try and ease congestion.
Effective February 2, Delta is not going to allow employees to make use of the airport’s Sky Clubs once they are flying on standby with business travel privileges, the airline said in a lengthy memo on Wednesday. They may also not give you the chance to make use of Sky Clubs during business trips.
“The worker discount for Delta Sky Club membership has also been withdrawn,” reads the memo seen by CNBC. “While we understand that this will likely be disappointing, please know that this decision was not taken flippantly. We’re sure you may agree that providing quality service to our most loyal customers should be our primary priority.”
Lounges will not be free for Delta employees. But they were in a position to access them provided they’d certain bank cards or bought a Sky Club membership, traveling on worker advantages or flying non-revenue destinations, so-called From next month, employees will only have access to the lounge in the event that they fly with a prepaid ticket.
Free seats on planes are a serious asset for airline staff and will not be only used for holidays. Pilots and flight attendants often don’t live of their airline’s cities and commute without paying for seats if there are seats available.
“Once we put our customers first and supply them with the best experience, they’ll proceed to prefer Delta’s premium services – which can ultimately profit us all,” the memo reads.
Delta had earlier announced stricter Sky Club entry rules for normal customers, that are also resulting from come into effect in February.
“Delta employees understand the role all of us play in providing a high level of customer support. Subsequently, employees will refrain from entering Delta Sky Clubs when using standby travel privileges or traveling for business purposes,” the airline said in an announcement.
The measures come as Delta tries to scale back long lines and crowds in waiting rooms. Travelers return en masse carrying piles of frequent flyer miles which have piled up during the Covid pandemic American Express rewards cards that grant entry to clubs.
In response, Delta and other major carriers are making it harder to achieve elite status this yr by pulling back after pandemic freebies allowed grounded customers to maintain their privileges. In addition they enlarge the living rooms.
The changes announced Wednesday also apply to employees of other airlines who fly with Delta as a part of their free worker travel advantages. A Delta spokesman said no data is obtainable on what number of employees use airport lounges when not at work.
Employees and retirees who’ve purchased a club membership or have Amex lounge access cards can request a pro-rated refund from Delta, the airline said.
“The answer to the congestion problem they created is to fireplace their very own employees,” said one Delta pilot, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is just not allowed to talk to the media. The pilot said he and his wife have an Amex Platinum card, which comes with an annual fee of $695, and that he uses the Sky Club once a month to “find an hour of peace and quiet” before a day’s work. Lounges offer a wide selection of free meals, drinks, seating and work space.
“We’re not freeloaders,” said the pilot, who said he and his wife spend 1000’s a month on their Amex cards but are considering canceling them resulting from a change in lounge access. “I’m not Jeff Bezos.”
A spokeswoman for Delta’s pilots’ union, the Air Line Pilots Association, declined to comment and said the advantages will not be negotiated in contracts with pilots. Union leaders this week reviewed a proposal for a recent deal that could lead on to a tentative deal.
A Delta flight attendant, who also spoke to CNBC on condition of anonymity for similar reasons as the pilot, called the decision “terrible and humiliating.”
“It’s a call Spirit would make, not an antiquated Delta,” said a flight attendant, referring to the industry’s flagship airline, which has no lounges.
Delta last yr encouraged senior leaders to avoid Sky Clubs to avoid congestion. Delta didn’t say whether it plans to alter the policy, which can remain in effect “until further notice” after February 2.
American and United they are saying they will not be planning similar changes to their showrooms, although carriers occasionally modify their worker travel policies. For instance, these carriers have withheld some advantages for employees travel to London during the summer resulting from congestion.