Airlines have long been talking about ways to make the experience of flying in a middle seat less miserable. Spirit Airlines often has an onboard giveaway where they offer 5,000 miles to one lucky passenger in a middle seat. The new Bombardier CSeries has even made the single middle seat in each row a little bit wider (the plane is in a 2-3 configuration), to give that passenger an advantage.
Delta has just introduced a very creative concept, and it’s something that I don’t think has ever been done before. Ultimately this is mostly a marketing gimmick, as it’s for one-day only and at one airport, and given that it’s a partnership between them and Coca-Cola. But it’s cool nonetheless.
Today Delta is operating a pop-up Middle Seat Lounge at Boston Logan Airport, near gate A11. Any customer flying Delta in a middle seat today is eligible to visit the lounge before their flight. Here’s how they advertise the features of the lounge:
- Share a Coke and conversation at the “Share a Coke” Beverage Station
- Play games with their fellow middle guests
- Meet current Celtics TV Analyst and former NBA Champion Brian Scalabrine
- Receive a 3-pack of specially branded Coca-Cola bottles so they can Share a Coke with their seatmates, snap a selfie of the row and enter to win a trip on Delta
This lounge doesn’t sound that thrilling. Playing games with strangers? No thanks. Talking to someone about basketball? Which sport is that again?
I do think the concept of getting a 3-pack of Coca-Cola products to go is cool, especially since it’s intended that you share this with your seatmates. Maybe it’ll make them more likely to give you both of the middle armrests (which you deserve if you’re in the middle seat, for the record).
While I doubt we’ll see this expanded permanently, efforts like this are cool nonetheless. I feel like United should be next. They could open up an exclusive middle seat section within their Polaris Lounges, given the number of planes they have with middle seats in business class (sorry, it was just too easy). 😉
Interesting that two companies that are both headquartered in Atlanta decided to do this promotion in Boston.
Why the open hostility towards Delta - we get their product is inferior to the ME3 which you openly worship. Yes this is a marketing gimmick but I don’t see how any of this is negative. Better than nothing.
You talking about the GOAT Brian Scalabrine? Still remember when he won the Rookie of the Year award twice.
Great story Ben, last week it was free entry to the BA lounge at LHR if your name was Harry, this week it’s a free “lounge” if your in the middle seat - ha ! Soon everyone will be getting a free ride in a Porsche whilst travelling on Lufthansa no matter what class lol.
Talking to White Mamba?! That guy is a LEGEND!!!
I would rather drive that fly the Middle Seat. At least if I have to pee I can find a cool truck stop that serves great waffles.
Nice idea--imagine that-- instead of phone fiddling/diddling and wastebook postings, and duck lipped narcopath shots--- one can talk about things, actively, perhaps, play games with new folks, and have a conversation in the moment without techno distractions and corporate hu$tler mumbo jumbo.
Perhaps, it is for non-american audience? Kudos Deltas
Lols how silly
MAN! That is the all time best celtics!
I wanna meet the white mamba so bad
Peter no. But that is out of the box thinking.
You should be hired as a contingency planner.
@Peter: You forgot to mention something about Trump
@Peter,
Free catheters for middle seat pax?
Or the coke will make the window passenger have to go pee more, making the aisle passenger dislike the middle seat passenger even more, making the middle seat experience worse than ever.
I imagine this is how Debit's mind works.
If the middle seat is entitled to both armrests then the aisle seat should be entitled to not getting whacked in the back of the elbow by the beverage cart.
Emirates still has middle seats in business on their 777's and many are angle flat at that...yet somehow they get a pass and you rib UA instead?
@ Bob -- United was a more direct competitor than Emirates in this case. And I don't give them a pass at all:
https://onemileatatime.com/emirates-business-class-seat-update/