The first time I paid to get into a lounge my flight was cancelled. The lounge staff called us up to the desk and rebooked us on first class (a huge upgrade). On the way to our new flight we passed the angry line of travelers from our canceled flight.
I know it’s not a typical experience but the year of membership felt worth it for me just for that one moment.
I went to a few lounges back when I got them for free and seeing how clear of a money grab and intentonal stratification they are made me not want to pay for them ever in the future.
The level of service isn't possible for everyone. ex: I got to skip a line because other people were excluded. If everyone got that experience I’d probably have missed my departure time and missed a wedding. That’s worth a lot to folks.
cringingly bad op-ed
It's expressing the idea that the linked article is of lower quality than the op-ed it attempts to disparage, which communicates to readers that any conclusions drawn are suspect.
Then someone else should write this article because airport lounges are free with the right banking relationships
Which is the problem people are resonating with. The path is too well known and followed.
al_borland•5mo ago
It seemed that lounges used to require some kind of membership that had a decent vetting process. Not only has the bar been significantly lowered, but I believe many simply let you buy your way in. These luxury experiences are being sold to people who want to cosplay and elites while on holiday. Charge it and worry about it later. It’s not much different than people paying for 20 minutes on fake jet to make videos for instagram or TikTok.
The simple solution would seem to be to stop letting people buy their way into lounges. I see this at hotels too. Getting a certain status for 60 nights stayed in a year gets you in the lounge… or pay an extra $10/night on your room for the same thing.
sockaddr•5mo ago
This is something I've detected too. If I can naturally and appropriately afford a bit of luxury that offers value I don't mind, but if I'm reaching for no reason other than to feel "better" than my current status allows because other people are doing it too I shy away from that. It's just a ploy to take money from me.
> It’s not much different than people paying for 20 minutes on fake jet to make videos for instagram or TikTok
Ehh, this is more of a business expense for them I think.
labcomputer•5mo ago
Elites stopped using public airport terminals on 9/11, and just fly private now. You'll find them in the FBO on the other side of the field.
The crowds filling up the lounges today are people with $500/year credit cards that grant lounge entry and one free checked bag. It just turns out there are way more people who will apply for a $500/year credit card than a $500/year club membership.
spicyusername•5mo ago
al_borland•5mo ago
I have a card that’s only $50/year that gets me into some lounges (last I looked I think some of that access is going away). And even less than that are the ones where you can just pay your way in one-time, no membership of any kind needed.
Suppafly•5mo ago
It's essentially the same problem with the fastpass system at theme parks. After a few years they have to invent another system that is ultra-ultra-ultra fastpass once the poors decide to start paying for fastpass and ultra fastpass and ultra-ultra fastpass.