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I reviewed the DeltaONE preflight meal option before a Virgin Atlantic Upper Class trip from Atlanta this past summer. It was less than impressive.
Not just was it less than impressive, but the staff seemed confused how the ordering should work and I was told by them that other Sky Club members were upset they could not get this meal if they wanted it (they were not missing out on that much really).
Well now a Delta representative has confirmed an end to this Sky Club experiment. Spokesman Anthony Black tells us that this meal is being replaced:
“The new buffets in ATL E&F and JFK T-4 are up-and running. The change was in response what we were hearing from our guests that more food choices and better food quality were important features in the clubs. We have responded in these two key international gateways. New hot food items and additional cold choices have created a truly enhanced experience and customer response has been overwhelming positive. All customers can enjoy these products.” – Anthony Black, Delta Air Lines
This is more in a long line of GREAT and #KeepClimbing news from Delta when it comes to Sky Clubs. They are truly “firing on all cylinders” if you will, with improvement after improvement. I was recently at the LAX remodeled club and will have a review of that up soon but it is MUCH better than it was.
Bottom line is we at last either reached, or are even beyond, the point that the $29 up-charge to bring a guest into the Sky Club (at least the ones with this new buffet) are worth the price of admission. I mean look at what you now get at these clubs:
- Nice showers
- Great Wifi speeds (now password protected – like it)
- Good complimentary wines
- Great complimentary craft beers
- Nice food choices
- Power everywhere for devices
- Sky Decks at some locations
- Working printers
- Comfortable seating
- Sky Club agents for ticket issues
And to me that list is an amazing list to brag about when you look at where the “$kyPubs” were just a year or two ago. Amazing. If Delta could accomplish this 180* turnaround with the Sky Clubs, just think if the person in charge of transforming the clubs could be put in charge of SkyMiles? I would be so giddy I would not sleep for a week (doubt that will happen but I can dream, right).
[See THIS post <-LINK for what you are missing!]
Anyway, no PR photos were provided for me but I will have a long time in ATL on the 15th of this month and will be “floating around” the different Sky Clubs and plan to take a bunch of photos and will update this post when I do. Impressive Delta, just so impressive! – Rene
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I wonder if the new buffets have proper sized plates? Delta has had the salad bar for about 16 months now, but the plates are the size of a saucer or bread plate. You can’t fit any salad on it.
The worst part of this meal experiment was that it was only being given to Delta passengers, though corporate told me Delta customers flying Air France, KLM or Virgin Atlantic business-class were suppose to receive it, too. The food looked pretty crummy.
Personally, instead of eating a meal at 10 pm on an overnight flight to Europe, where sleep is the most important thing, I’d rather Delta just give me a $50 coupon to use at an airport restaurant of my choosing.
The other issue is Delta flies international flights out of airports that don’t have Sky Clubs with any of the enhanced services, let alone a shower. Minneapolis is a good example.
Rene, don’t look now but I’m reasonably certain the guy in charge of improving the SkyClubs, Jeff Robertson, is the guy who was in charge of SkyMiles when things started going downhill.
@jkealing – Yes I know #TheJeff is overall in charge but under him is someone amazing. He is French and comes from hotel hospitality background. I am very impressed with Claude!
I visited four of the ATL SkyClubs in August. Only two of them were offering the tasting menu as far as I could tell. At the time it was a shrimp dish that was so-so. But in all honesty, I was much more disappointed in the buffet offerings. The chicken salad was so overloaded with mayo that it was inedible. And for salad, the items displayed were basically a green mix and – nothing. I actually felt that the tasting menu offerings were better.
F Club was by far the best club at ATL with it’s outdoor deck and quiet room.
I’ll be at the ATL airport heading to Vegas on the 15th. Would love to meet up and say Hi if you’re around. My flight is at 4:15pm.
@Matt – Yep land about 2-ish. Follow twitter for what $KyPub I am in with others 😉
Awesome, will do!
@Pam, I always go out of my way to visit the F concourse Sky Club. Also, there’s a Starbucks there. I believe it’s the only Starbucks at the airport in A.T.L.