There’s a Tweet about Delta’s airport lounges that’s going viral on Twitter, which has me scratching my head on multiple levels. I feel like it makes sense to address it, because I’m seeing some very bad takes.
Delta customer angry about Sky Club kids policy
A traveler took to Twitter on Sunday to express her displeasure with Delta, over the company’s Sky Club access policy. As she wrote:
Special prize today to @Delta for letting me and my husband into their lounge because we have a specific credit card and informing us our 4yo would have to pay a fee or wait outside bc she “not a cardholder.”
Good job Delta, you really thought that through
Presumably this traveler and her husband have the Amex Platinum Card:
- This offers complimentary Sky Club access for the cardmember, but no complimentary guests are allowed
- The only exception for complimentary guests is for infants under the age of two, who can accompany an adult at no extra cost
- If you want to bring guests into the lounge, they cost $50 each
Obviously a four year old isn’t going to be a cardmember (Amex’s minimum age to add someone as an authorized user is 13), so in this case the only option for Sky Club access was to pay $50 to bring a guest.
To me this seems pretty fair:
- Delta clearly publishes its Sky Club access policy, and that only children under two can be brought in for free if you don’t have guesting privileges
- At this point the math comes down to whether it’s worth paying $50 for three people to access the Sky Club, since most parents aren’t going to abandon their four year old in the terminal; $17 per person for Sky Club access sounds like a deal
- Ultimately parents benefit from quite a few accommodations from travel companies; it’s not unreasonable for the line to be drawn somewhere
- It’s worth noting that the person could have purchased a Delta Sky Club® Executive membership, which allows you to bring two guests, or a spouse plus children under 21
People seem obsessed with the detail that the Sky Club agent explained that you need to be a cardmember or pay for access. I don’t see anything indicating that the Sky Club agent was shaming the four year old for not having applied for their first credit card yet. 😉 Rather the agent was just being thorough in explaining access options.
The internet has mixed reactions to this policy
At first I couldn’t figure out why this Tweet was even going viral, because it seems like a non-story. But then looking at the replies, it’s pretty clear.
On the one end of the spectrum, you have people claiming that people who are making excuses for Delta “are sick in the head,” and you have the people who claim this is an example of “late stage capitalism.” And that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
Then on the other end of the spectrum, you have the people who think kids don’t belong in lounges, so they’re commending Delta for this.
Look, it’s not often I’m going to claim that there’s a single correct take, but in this case I’m going to claim that there’s a single correct take — Delta clearly publishes its Sky Club access and guest policy.
Don’t want to pay the fee for bringing a kid into a Sky Club? Then don’t visit the lounge. Meanwhile are you someone who has a problem with people bringing their kids into the Sky Club in accordance with the rules? Too bad, then don’t visit the Sky Club. 😉
Bottom line
Delta, like all airlines, has lounge access policies, and limitations on guests. Those choosing to access Sky Clubs with an Amex Platinum have to pay $50 per guest, with the exception of infants under two. If bringing family into a lounge complimentary is important to someone, Sky Club Executive memberships are available, which let you bring all your children under the age of 21 into lounges.
There’s absolutely nothing to be outraged about here, in my opinion.
What do you make of this Delta Sky Club guesting fiasco?
(Tip of the hat to Lloyd)
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