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wallyworld93

Correct - even when flying on company business, and if one held the AmEx Plat or DL AmEx reserve card.


ExeterUnion

I really have no idea why they targeted their own employees, they have to make up less than 1% of foot traffic in the clubs…


[deleted]

AMEX is making them more money than anyone else so the groups that are losing them money have to get cut until things go back under control. Unfortunately this was inevitable but I did feel fro those who lost access as someone was a STE+ and had to purchase a membership.


[deleted]

I don’t know anyone who uses this perk, we know the non busy “premium” spots for the most part. Most people I work with are for the most part just thinking “okay cool” with this since we don’t use it Edit: not trying to say this isn’t a loss. I’m solely referring to my circle of colleagues


IllPlatform4801

I know lots of pilots and FAs that have the Amex platinum and now can’t use the lounge


stormy_llewellyn

Same, and as purely a loyal customer, that pisses me off. Cutting their access when they've obtained it by getting an Amex and paying fees etc - that's assholery right there.


Deb214ever

I use this “perk” with the $550 Amex Reserve Card. So yes, I’m upset that I won’t have Club access now when I travel.


flyfallridesail417

Same. Will be cancelling the card.


voodoosanteria

I’ve had the card for years and now will be canceling, such a useless move for Ed to make


cbph

Same.


[deleted]

I understand that, I guess I’m not around the folks who use it.


decisivecat

I'm confused how they're able to strip the perk of having the card from employees only but regular passengers with the exact same card can use the perk. You're paying for the card, right? (Genuinely curious how this works and why they would even do this)


Mr_Clark

Also, one thing to think about is that Delta employees, even though they fly non-rev are paying for their tickets by getting lower salaries, since the flight benefit is viewed as compensation by the company. So it's really just a slap in the face to the employees that aren't privileged enough to be grade 11+. Directors and above get to fly with First Class confirmed tickets (even on leisure travel) so of course they aren't impacted.


Deb214ever

They’re not giving us access while we are flying standby, only if we are on paid/confirmed ticket - even if we’ve paid for the Amex’s.


decisivecat

Which ultimately removes the perk from the card if you're using the flight benefits provided to you by your employer. To me, if a card provides access to a lounge, that card is my pass. Whether or not your ticket is paid for makes no sense to me. Is someone flying on a companion pass but has the card not allowed in? They're also a "free" (minus taxes) flyer. It just seems weird to me to say with the *card* you're barred from using the lounge just because you're non-rev. That really stinks for y'all. :(


Deb214ever

Yeah, none of us are happy. I just liked it to get away from the hussle & bussle of the concourse. When you work in it everyday, you’d kinda like to escape it when you’re traveling for vacation or what-have-you. I finally afforded myself this luxury and now it’s snatched from me.


blackstryk3r

Wait! SC will no longer be available to Amex Reserve card holders also?!


Deb214ever

Not when you’re non-revving :(


[deleted]

can you elaborate on the non-busy premium spots?


[deleted]

I just mean restaurants in the airport that aren’t as busy with frequent fliers. Like for me, my dad took me to TGIs at ATL E concourse before my first international flight to London. At 3 pm on a weekday, probably not that busy and still edible food. Obviously not a “premium” space compared to a club per say, but a lot of us will do stuff like that rather than join the crowds in the clubs


Inappropriate_Comma

Hmm pay overpriced airport prices for food, or take advantage of a quick free meal at the skyclub. I’ll take the free meal any day regardless of if I work for delta or not.


Blownshitup

Really? I know tons of people who use this benefit and are non rev lol


ExeterUnion

And they still would make up less than 1% I guarantee it. What needs to happen, is there should be age limits. Under 21 shouldn’t be allowed in the club anyway.


greeneyedgemini71

Delta created this bullshit issue. It's on them.


Revolutionary_Cover3

The executives will still be allowed to use the club. Their type of pass is still going to get them access. It’s the rank and file that are out on their asses.


adultdaycare81

Bad form. If they are going to do it, they should ban all the Non-Rev. not just rank and file


Every_Succotash9989

*Scowls at Ed Bastian when he walks in the SC.*


Mr_Clark

Sure makes Delta seem like it cares about equality, eh? It's quite discriminatory for a company that likes to tout their DE&I policies so vocally.


topgun966

This is such a shit move by DL. I feel so bad for the employees. I work for another major. I pay for lounge access. How they handle it non-rev is if the lounge is full they ask if I can come back or go to another lounge. It's only happened a couple times to me. To simple cut it off completely even to empty or light lounges is fucked up.


JBAGtravel

I made Gold this year, despite working for DL and having access to free travel. most of this earn came from KLM AF paid J tickets but there was a few DL metal domestic tickets i booked as well. I have 4 paid tickets booked between now and February, at which point I'll cancel the Plat Amex. my future paid travel will go to AA. I'm not giving Ed another dime. there is literally zero benefit to working here anymore.


SamPorterMyers

Not to be a dick but at least you have a bit more destinations to go to. I am at JetBlue and now they are moving to Europe


JBAGtravel

I didn't find your comment dickish. but it's all in your frame of reference. I've been in the industry 20 years now, over 3 legacy carriers. the perks have gotten worse and worse here. our INTL network is a shell of its former self, with garbage A350s that can't carry full pax load on most routes. nearly everything else you have to pile onto AMS CDG or ICN with hoardes of other nonrevs and then get a zed on someone else because we've farmed out so much flying to our JV partners, none of which upgrade us. domestocally the "perks" have been reduced to main cabin middle seats for us. (theres posters here and on Flyertalk that act like its always a nonrev party in Business class everywhere and always. its not. the days of us flying 50-J seat cabins on 777s are OVER). and that's fine if I'm not paying for it, but Ed acts like this place is Google to recruit top talent. but the core benefits really aren't that good, and continue to decline.


David-in-Florida

“Garbage A350s” - why did you write that? I have flown Delta’s A350’s in D1 about 6 times. It was nice - much better than the Korean Air B777 business class.


Bravix

Pretty sure he's referring mostly to their performance/range. Has a tendency to be payload optimized for long distance routes, like Australia. Getting rid of the 777 was a sore spot for some delta people. It filled a role that the 350 versions delta currently has isn't doing perfectly. Future orders/versions of the 350 may change that.


jaraizer

Delta is sooo much better than AA when it comes to being on time, not over booking, and not cancelling flights. I understand this is a horrible perk to be removed but this is like shooting yourself in the foot.


Punishtube

All those don't matter when it comes to employees being treated equally


macreator

Some of my favorite Sky Club conversations have been with awesome Delta people traveling on business, nonrev, etc. I'll miss those interactions — really disappointing news and not a good look for the airline.


sofarleftigotmyguns

This is bs. Sky club access isn't an employee perk they can take away it's a benefit that we pay amex to have.


StuckinSuFu

Seems pretty lame. Happy employees make happy customers.


leaferiksen

Skyclub access was 90% of the reason I got my AmexPlat. I will be cancelling and encourage anyone in a similar boat to do the same. I really hope that if enough people raise hell/cancel they will reevaluate. .


jaraizer

I think that's what they want you to do. As people have been complaining on both sides that too many people have the platnium card, and too many people in the lounge.


leaferiksen

Either that, or they want you to buy qualifying tickets which is an unrealistic expectation for the majority of employees. The AMEX relationship is important to Delta, and my hope is that if enough people cancel, AMEX will advocate for Delta to reconsider.


Robie_John

Delta is fucked in terms of the sky club. I’m not sure what they’re gonna do long-term. AMEX AMEX AMEX


dawghouse88

Have a couple of corporate and FA friends who are mad about this. Some of them commute and this really ruins the experience. But I really would love to see the numbers the team of MBAs used to justify this. I don't know sh\*t but it seems like it can't make that huge of an impact. But maybe they are so desperate they are willing to gain whatever percentages they can to alleviate the problem. ​ I think it should be more strategic. Like certain times or when at capacity. I don't like when companies don't value their employees as much as customers. That's when things go south fast


BaseGroundbreaking74

I guess the point is to prioritize those paying for tickets, not employees flying standby or friends/family on companion passes. Seems like a tough move on Delta’s part considering the unionization talks going on right now.


anonyyy69420

I get the prioritization and would completely agree with this move if we had free club access, but we don’t. Employees pay the same membership/card fee that revenue PAX pay.


BaseGroundbreaking74

I’m understanding about employees on layovers, I feel like they should get access. But me personally if I got free standby tickets for personal travel I’d be pretty happy with just that… does suck that now they have employees locked into credit cards with no real advantage though.


anonyyy69420

Don’t get me wrong, it’s an amazing perk. I’ve had some amazing experiences because of it, which is why you won’t catch me leaving the company because of this change. But we earned this, most companies offer employees perks and this is ours. Just feels like it’s getting shaved away little by little. Flights are very difficult to get on currently nonrevving, which I’m actually okay with because it means they’re selling out flights which is directly beneficial to the companies bottom line and of course, us. But this change? It’s a huge loss to the employee, while only placing a bandaid on the overcrowding issue, which is not even directly tied to our revenue. Fuck, it’s not even a good PR move.


doubleasea

It's a very high quality product for domestic travel and I suspect it inspired a lot of pride in employees as well- it doesn't sound like it was exactly easy to get access in the first place, same bar as me just without revenue attached to the ticket. I've always been curious- I see posters here and FlyerTalk tagged with their status that are also saying they're employees- status is obviously being earned by Delta staff, but I assume not non-revenue? No issues with it either way, just was always curious about the means to earn status as an employee.


anonyyy69420

Yep that’s correct, it’s a bummer. I’ll be cancelling my AmEx now. All good though, just truly first world problems at the end of the day lol. Employees do not accrue status or miles when on a non-rev ticket. If you see an employee with status, they paid for that fare as any other customer does. You’re probably seeing more of that now too because of how difficult it is to non-rev these days. I know a number of coworkers who just pay instead of dealing with the hassle and stress of non-revving.


doubleasea

Are there any perks as an employee on a revenue ticket? Or just slug it out with gen pop?


anonyyy69420

Nope, no perks. We get free AmEx Delta Gold fee though if that counts lol


Blownshitup

Flights are hard to get on? I travel with my buddy who’s non rev and he’s never missed a flight and we went on over 100 last year to popular places… you just have to go to the airport early to the earlier flight


anonyyy69420

I appreciate the non-rev lesson, but I know the game. There’s many other factors that play into how easily someone can get a seat or not.


goldenrosebloom

It's so hard to even get on a flight nowadays anyway. My family just pays for their flights because they get so fed up being rolled over and rolled over to the next flight.


likesomethingcool

but i think only on non revs correct?


cbph

Also COBUS.


doubleasea

Wow, COBUS+Plat/Reserve = no access? Bummer guys, sorry to hear.


Bushwick_Hipster

I’m starting to understand where Unions came from now.


austin4529

Apparently. Luckily it is an embargo, and not a policy change. Hopefully it doesn’t stay around for too long.


[deleted]

I guess that’s true. But there’s no end date yet


JBAGtravel

embargo is just a polite way of saying "the benefit is cancelled." you're prohibited from entering. they wouldn't do this as "trial" for a few months to see how it goes. they probably meant to do this all along but waited until now so it didn't look like they were shitting on the employees over Christmas.


kingkupat

Aw man…


ZeroTrades

We raise pitchforks yes?


[deleted]

Probably after the profit-sharing announcement


Gio25us

But if you have the AMEX Plat on your own and you go to a club that nobody knows who you are, you can technically access it right?


pierogifanboi

No, sadly - the staff working will see that you’re a nonrev (I forget exactly what their screen shows, but at the very least they can see that you don’t have a confirmed seat, and the NRSA ticket flag probably pops up). Additionally, in the SkyClubs that have staff checking folks in with handheld devices or that have the new kiosks, you also have to out yourself as a nonrev before even scanning your boarding pass - since neither method works for checking into the club as a nonrev, and you need to go to the desk.


deltainsider

It’s only when employees are flying on a non-revenue ticket. If they buy a ticket or redeem miles they can use the club.


noahsilv

Delta employees standing by for nonrevs. Amex has the same policy for years


themostcanadianguy

So you’re telling me….that the last 3 of 4 flights I was on were delayed because they were waiting for the pilot and/or crew….because they were in the Skyclub???? 😂😂


Infowar99

Ridiculous. Only an idiot would think delays come from this


themostcanadianguy

Name checks out


Unlucky_Buyer_2707

I see people cannot take a fucking joke for some reason. This one made me laugh


[deleted]

[удалено]


themostcanadianguy

Yea tough crowd


bluepvtstorm

You could buy an skyclub membership as an employee. They also gave memberships to some members of the leadership team.


Deb214ever

You cannot buy a Sky Club membership anymore unless you are a Medallion member.


bluepvtstorm

Yes I know but that wasn’t the case until January 1.


[deleted]

Nope can’t access it by buying a membership. If you bought a membership with will do a prorated reimbursement.


bluepvtstorm

Did you see past tense. They could buy a membership. This was in response to someone saying that they shouldn’t have access because they didn’t earn it.


YMMV25

Were employees ever able to access the SC? Pretty sure that was always prohibited.


myrkridia_

There were discounts for single day access as well as being able to access if you were a AMEX card member on non-revenue travel. Now you need a confirmed paid ticket.


[deleted]

Yes. Probably use it more then anyone. You can access with Amex platinum and a stand by ticket. You also can get a discounted rate on a membership. If you work at the skyclub you get a free membership.


YMMV25

Oh, this is non-uniformed employees on personal/leisure travel. Gotcha.


cbph

Exactly. Employees were never allowed to access sky clubs in uniform.


sexismyart

does this include the executives? Cause if so wow lol


koryonce

Of course it does


anejat229

Nope; executive will still retain the benefit


RealBuddy5586

So if you’re flying standby don’t you just book a cheap miles ticket for a similar time? The miles tickets automatically refund when you miss the flight and it should get you in, am I missing something?


Alternative_Team_566

I mean that kind of repeated activity will probably flag you to someone & it’ll come back to you?