Delta to close many Crown Club lounges

[bonanzabucks]

Why? Because of, you guessed it, the rising price of fuel.

Delta Air Lines is to close several of its Crown Room Clubs to offset the rising cost of oil.

The carrier will close nine of the departure lounges this summer and also plans to convert existing Business Elite lounges at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and New York JFK.

The two existing Business Elite suites will be turned into Crown Room Clubs, which passengers will pay an annual fee to access.

Crown Room Clubs in Boston, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Seattle, San Juan Puerto Rico, Phoenix, Denver, Honolulu, and London Gatwick with be closed within the next month, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

http://news.cheapflights.com/airlines/2 ... close.html

These oil prices are totally out of control and are destroying the industry we love. Something really has to be done.

[T-Bird76]

The price of fuel shouldn't really have much to do with the cost of running these lounges as membership fees are supposed to cover the costs. However if you look at the cities that are closing they aren't large DAL stations besides CVG which I think has 2 CRLs.

[Midnight Mike]

The price of fuel shouldn't really have much to do with the cost of running these lounges as membership fees are supposed to cover the costs. However if you look at the cities that are closing they aren't large DAL stations besides CVG which I think has 2 CRLs.

Yeah, no kidding, if they really want to make extra money, sell day passes to the lounge.

I did that when I was in Miami with American Airlines, cost $50 & it was worth it, (I was at the airport 5 hours early for a flight)

[USAF Pilot 07]

Pardon my ignorance, but how is it that so many European carriers seem to be doing ok, even with the advent of a ton of LCCs in Europe, but that carriers can't seem to find to make ends meet here in the US? The prices of gas is almost double in Europe as well... Dare I say U.S. airline mismanagement?

[mirrodie]

I know they sell those $50 daypasses for AAdmirals Clubs..

What do you do for $10 an hour at MIA's club for 5 hours?

[Lezam]

Pardon my ignorance, but how is it that so many European carriers seem to be doing ok, even with the advent of a ton of LCCs in Europe, but that carriers can't seem to find to make ends meet here in the US? The prices of gas is almost double in Europe as well... Dare I say U.S. airline mismanagement?

Could be the value of the dollar? Very good point.

[bonanzabucks]

Pardon my ignorance, but how is it that so many European carriers seem to be doing ok, even with the advent of a ton of LCCs in Europe, but that carriers can't seem to find to make ends meet here in the US? The prices of gas is almost double in Europe as well... Dare I say U.S. airline mismanagement?

Hourly wages in Western Europe (Germany and the UK) are much higher too, yet those carriers are still profitable. Not to mention, these carriers were really profitable even before oil was expensive and the Euro and Pound weren't worth too much. And provide vastly superior service than even the majors here do. The best domestic service in the US is probably Jet Blue or CO and even they suck compared to what you get over in Europe.

I think it's a combination of a lot of reasons. Their executives don't make as much money than airline execs here do (and they do a much, much better job). Some of them are government owned (i.e. Air France) or have government subsidies. They don't have to pay healthcare costs like airlines here do and healthcare costs are really high here. Much better management compared to here -- seriously, name one good US airline CEO the last ten -- or 20! -- years. They all sucked! Better route structure (they don't have hubs at dogs like CVG, IAD or STL). Their Hubs are truly global and have a more international scope (which means they can charge more!) and don't have as much competition (within England, where's LHR's competition?). Each country more or less has one airline (though low cost carriers are changing this). Europe actually has lower cooperate tax rates than we do.